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Invisible Ghosts Lib/E
Robyn Schneider, author of Extraordinary Means and The Beginning of Everything, delivers a sharply funny, romantic girl-meets-boy novel with a twist: boy-also-meets-girl's-ghost-brother.
When one girl's best friend is her dead brother's ghost, romance can be tricky. Perfect for fans of John Green and Nicola Yoon.
Rose Asher believes in ghosts. She should, since she has one for a best friend: Logan, her annoying, Netflix-addicted brother, who is forever stuck at fifteen. But Rose is growing up, and when an old friend moves back to Laguna Canyon and appears in her drama class, things get complicated.
Jamie Aldridge is charming, confident, and a painful reminder of the life Rose has been missing out on since her brother's death. She watches as Jamie easily rejoins their former friends--a group of magnificently silly theater nerds--while avoiding her so intensely that it must be deliberate.
Yet when the two of them unexpectedly cross paths, Rose learns that Jamie has a secret of his own, one that changes everything. Rose finds herself drawn back into her old life--and to Jamie. But she quickly starts to suspect that he isn't telling her the whole truth.
All Rose knows is that it's becoming harder to choose between the boy who makes her feel alive and the brother she isn't ready to lose.
When one girl's best friend is her dead brother's ghost, romance can be tricky. Perfect for fans of John Green and Nicola Yoon.
Rose Asher believes in ghosts. She should, since she has one for a best friend: Logan, her annoying, Netflix-addicted brother, who is forever stuck at fifteen. But Rose is growing up, and when an old friend moves back to Laguna Canyon and appears in her drama class, things get complicated.
Jamie Aldridge is charming, confident, and a painful reminder of the life Rose has been missing out on since her brother's death. She watches as Jamie easily rejoins their former friends--a group of magnificently silly theater nerds--while avoiding her so intensely that it must be deliberate.
Yet when the two of them unexpectedly cross paths, Rose learns that Jamie has a secret of his own, one that changes everything. Rose finds herself drawn back into her old life--and to Jamie. But she quickly starts to suspect that he isn't telling her the whole truth.
All Rose knows is that it's becoming harder to choose between the boy who makes her feel alive and the brother she isn't ready to lose.
Audio CD
First published June 5, 2018
106 people are currently reading
10483 people want to read
About the author
Robyn Schneider
14 books2,484 followersRobyn Schneider grew up in Southern California, where she spent her childhood reading fantasy novels and searching for secret passages. She’s a graduate of Columbia University, where she studied creative writing, and the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, where she earned a Masters of Bioethics. Robyn is the bestselling author of The Beginning of Everything, Extraordinary Means, Invisible Ghosts, and You Don’t Live Here. Her work is available across the world in over a dozen languages. Her newest novel, The Other Merlin, will be published in September 2021. She lives in Los Angeles with her TV producer husband, their tiny puppy, and far too many books. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram @robynschneider
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 492 reviews
July 17, 2018
robyn schneider is my go-to author during the summer - i absolutely adore her books. so i went into this thinking i had found a perfect, light contemporary read. what i was not expecting to find was a story so full of tender emotion.
rose was devastated when an unexpected accident results in the loss of her brother, logan, but has found a second chance when he returns as a ghost only she can see. so she doesnt even consider it a sacrifice to give up everything so she can spend all of her time with him. until she finds reasons to start planning a future, one that may not include logan.
i cant even begin to describe the range of emotions i went through whilst reading this. this story so gently describes love and loss and the difficulty, or even the possibility, of moving on. my goodness, how this made my heart ache. this was such a beautiful story about looking toward the future and the courage it takes to say goodbye to those we love. what a truly touching book. definitely robyn schneiders best book to date!!
↠ 4.5 stars
rose was devastated when an unexpected accident results in the loss of her brother, logan, but has found a second chance when he returns as a ghost only she can see. so she doesnt even consider it a sacrifice to give up everything so she can spend all of her time with him. until she finds reasons to start planning a future, one that may not include logan.
i cant even begin to describe the range of emotions i went through whilst reading this. this story so gently describes love and loss and the difficulty, or even the possibility, of moving on. my goodness, how this made my heart ache. this was such a beautiful story about looking toward the future and the courage it takes to say goodbye to those we love. what a truly touching book. definitely robyn schneiders best book to date!!
↠ 4.5 stars
July 17, 2018
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
“This isn’t a ghost story,” I told him. “It’s a love story with a ghost in it.”
Robyn Schneider, what the hell are you trying to do to me?????
Wait, what? What is it? I’m simply feeling happy? Whew! What a relief. I thought I was a goner for sure with my mouth doing this weird turny-uppy thing.
This is my third Robyn Schneider book and all three have been 4 Star winners. This chick knows how to YA romance me fo sho. Each of her books has an underlying theme of finding your tribe (and your first love) while navigating the waters of high school, but they each do it with a little twist. This time around????
More specifically, Rose sees her brother Logan. Rose has always blamed herself for Logan’s untimely passing from anaphylactic shock. She has distanced herself from all of her former friends and any activities that would keep her away from her house in order to spend time with Logan whenever he appears and wants to binge some Netflix re-runs. But when an old neighbor moves back to town, Rose discovers that there might be more to life than she’s been allowing herself to experience. Can there be a balance between her living and dead worlds????
So this story may seem a little bit familiar to some of you . . . . .
But guess what????
Robyn Schneider makes me feel like a kid again. And that’s a good thing.
“This isn’t a ghost story,” I told him. “It’s a love story with a ghost in it.”
Robyn Schneider, what the hell are you trying to do to me?????
Wait, what? What is it? I’m simply feeling happy? Whew! What a relief. I thought I was a goner for sure with my mouth doing this weird turny-uppy thing.
This is my third Robyn Schneider book and all three have been 4 Star winners. This chick knows how to YA romance me fo sho. Each of her books has an underlying theme of finding your tribe (and your first love) while navigating the waters of high school, but they each do it with a little twist. This time around????
More specifically, Rose sees her brother Logan. Rose has always blamed herself for Logan’s untimely passing from anaphylactic shock. She has distanced herself from all of her former friends and any activities that would keep her away from her house in order to spend time with Logan whenever he appears and wants to binge some Netflix re-runs. But when an old neighbor moves back to town, Rose discovers that there might be more to life than she’s been allowing herself to experience. Can there be a balance between her living and dead worlds????
So this story may seem a little bit familiar to some of you . . . . .
But guess what????
Robyn Schneider makes me feel like a kid again. And that’s a good thing.
March 8, 2019
i wouldn't say that i'm
outgrowing
contemporary YA, but i think i've read enough contemporary YA to KNOW what i love and what i //dont//
unfortunately, this book came on the sadder part of the spectrum
there's nothing inherently wrong about this book, i just felt like i've seen these type of characters (and their personalities), the plot, and ending a MILLION times
the paranormal aspect of the book was interesting but it wasn't enough to hold my interest. it had a strong start, i'll give it that, but my excitement about the book just dwindled from there
eh, not my thing
1.5 stars
buddy read with nadhira
unfortunately, this book came on the sadder part of the spectrum
there's nothing inherently wrong about this book, i just felt like i've seen these type of characters (and their personalities), the plot, and ending a MILLION times
the paranormal aspect of the book was interesting but it wasn't enough to hold my interest. it had a strong start, i'll give it that, but my excitement about the book just dwindled from there
eh, not my thing
1.5 stars
buddy read with nadhira
July 10, 2019
4.5 stars
I think I have a new favorite from Ms. Robyn Schneider. I love the premise. Rose starting out in the story trying to be invisible in school and always happy to go home to spend her afternoons with the literal but funny, insufferable and childish ghost of her older brother Logan who died at the age of 15 and who is now probably chummy with Casper the friendly ghost. And then Jamie, her childhood friend, comes back to town and pulls her back to their old circle of friends, back to doing what she loves and back to being seen.
The writing is witty and comfortable to read. I especially adore the characters majorly because of their sarcasm. Lol. I particularly like the characterization of Rose’s old friends-how they are popular but also geeky and are never mean. I enjoyed the nerdy dialogues and the friendly banters especially between Jamie and Rose. As a couple, they are too cute. The romance is just so sweet and easy.
Logan’s ghost is endearing. That’s probably the last word you’ll associate with a ghost but this book managed to do that. I am applauding the author for this brilliant idea and making it work so well in a YA novel. This is going to make a really cute movie.
This is the kind of read that I could easily devour in a matter of just a few hours because it is such an easy read despite the sad undertones but I am adoring it so much that I wanted to take my time to savor the story, the writing and the characters. So I tried my best to prolong the reading experience but to no avail because I eventually finished it on no time.
I think I have a new favorite from Ms. Robyn Schneider. I love the premise. Rose starting out in the story trying to be invisible in school and always happy to go home to spend her afternoons with the literal but funny, insufferable and childish ghost of her older brother Logan who died at the age of 15 and who is now probably chummy with Casper the friendly ghost. And then Jamie, her childhood friend, comes back to town and pulls her back to their old circle of friends, back to doing what she loves and back to being seen.
The writing is witty and comfortable to read. I especially adore the characters majorly because of their sarcasm. Lol. I particularly like the characterization of Rose’s old friends-how they are popular but also geeky and are never mean. I enjoyed the nerdy dialogues and the friendly banters especially between Jamie and Rose. As a couple, they are too cute. The romance is just so sweet and easy.
Logan’s ghost is endearing. That’s probably the last word you’ll associate with a ghost but this book managed to do that. I am applauding the author for this brilliant idea and making it work so well in a YA novel. This is going to make a really cute movie.
This is the kind of read that I could easily devour in a matter of just a few hours because it is such an easy read despite the sad undertones but I am adoring it so much that I wanted to take my time to savor the story, the writing and the characters. So I tried my best to prolong the reading experience but to no avail because I eventually finished it on no time.
February 23, 2020
I liked this book it was enjoyable, but I don't think I'll read her other books.
July 25, 2018
My expectations from this book were rocket high! It came from Robyn S and her previous book is among the best-est books that I've read. So, it's not my fault if I was excited for this one.
Except, I didn't like it much. The central character is uselessly whiny and the entire book is about her boyfriend:
-Jamie is this ...
-Jamie bought me a this ...
-Jamie has a headache and I ...
-Jamie sacrificed this and that ...
No! Just stop! I expected to see more sibling attachment and some strong bonds. Schnider's writing is flawless, I only think that the plot was dry and pretty predictable. I ended up ditching the book in the end! I just couldn't take any more of Jamie's worship.
So, my rating is only for the author and because I love her.
Except, I didn't like it much. The central character is uselessly whiny and the entire book is about her boyfriend:
-Jamie is this ...
-Jamie bought me a this ...
-Jamie has a headache and I ...
-Jamie sacrificed this and that ...
No! Just stop! I expected to see more sibling attachment and some strong bonds. Schnider's writing is flawless, I only think that the plot was dry and pretty predictable. I ended up ditching the book in the end! I just couldn't take any more of Jamie's worship.
So, my rating is only for the author and because I love her.
August 19, 2020
I received an ARC of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 ish stars
This book was a really interesting one. A ghost story meets a love story? Sounds odd but was a really compelling story. This book follows our main character Rose who believes in ghost, for one specific reason. Her brother, Logan, died a few years ago but is till alive to Rose. He is stuck at fifteen years old and is still able to interact with his sister. Things become more complicated when Roses time is being occupied by a boy named Jamie. Jamie also has some secrets of his own that Rose begins to uncover.
Overall, the plot of this book was super interesting. I did not know what to expect going into this novel but I was pleasantly suprised. It was a fast read and kept me engaged for the majority of the book. The writing was a little but too "teenage-ish" for me at times. I don't always love references to things like Netflix and modern films. It was not too much of a bother and at times I enjoyed it. It's just not something I typically enjoy in novels.
The characters and the plot is what kept me reading nonetheless. Rose got on my nerves every now and then but was still an interesting perspective. I enjoyed learning more about Jamie but I wish his backstory was a little more explained or that he had more character development. I was not the biggest fan of Logan, I felt that he was also extremely immature for someone who is said to be fifteen.
The good classic, "she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding" line, not only appeared once but several times which was not my favorite thing to say the least.
All in all, the plot and the characters were solid for the most part. The writing lacked for me in areas though. Enjoyed the spin this took on a romance with a ghost in it plot. Its an enjoyable and interesting read but nothing life changing for me.
3.5 ish stars
This book was a really interesting one. A ghost story meets a love story? Sounds odd but was a really compelling story. This book follows our main character Rose who believes in ghost, for one specific reason. Her brother, Logan, died a few years ago but is till alive to Rose. He is stuck at fifteen years old and is still able to interact with his sister. Things become more complicated when Roses time is being occupied by a boy named Jamie. Jamie also has some secrets of his own that Rose begins to uncover.
Overall, the plot of this book was super interesting. I did not know what to expect going into this novel but I was pleasantly suprised. It was a fast read and kept me engaged for the majority of the book. The writing was a little but too "teenage-ish" for me at times. I don't always love references to things like Netflix and modern films. It was not too much of a bother and at times I enjoyed it. It's just not something I typically enjoy in novels.
The characters and the plot is what kept me reading nonetheless. Rose got on my nerves every now and then but was still an interesting perspective. I enjoyed learning more about Jamie but I wish his backstory was a little more explained or that he had more character development. I was not the biggest fan of Logan, I felt that he was also extremely immature for someone who is said to be fifteen.
The good classic, "she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding" line, not only appeared once but several times which was not my favorite thing to say the least.
All in all, the plot and the characters were solid for the most part. The writing lacked for me in areas though. Enjoyed the spin this took on a romance with a ghost in it plot. Its an enjoyable and interesting read but nothing life changing for me.
June 10, 2018
This was such a haunting book.. see what I did there?
I was really moved with the relationships and romance and just everything in this book!
I was really moved with the relationships and romance and just everything in this book!
August 20, 2022
My love of grief and loss books is well documented, and Invisible Ghosts wedged its way into my heart. I really didn't expect to have such strong feelings for this book, but I simply loved it. The book was a really thoughtful, interesting, and beautiful look at growing up, moving on, and letting go.
• Pro: I was elated as Rose reintegrated herself into her former life. It pained me that she was grieving and carrying around the guilt associated with her brother's death for so long, and I just wanted her to be able to forgive herself and live again.
• Pro: Rose's new-old friends were fabulous. They were fun and artsy and very real. It was a beautiful thing watching them bring Rose back into the fold, but it was also fun just being in their presence.
• Pro: Jamie, Jamie, Jamie. ❤️ I adored this sweet little cinnamon roll.
• Pro: I am a fan of second chances, and there was a lot of that going on in this book. This was Rose's second chance at romance with Jamie, but it was also her second chance to rejoin her theatre clique and pursue something she had a passion for. I was glad she had Jamie to encourage her and that she decided to take the leap.
• Pro: Schneider did a great job helping me understand Rose's emotions regarding the loss of her brother. She was now older than her brother ever was and experiencing things he never got to experience. I felt and shared Rose's pain, and shed quite a few tears for her.
• Pro: I liked the way Schneider addressed the change in the family dynamic after Logan's death, as well as the different ways each member of the family was coping. Rose felt a lot of pressure to be perfect, because she had to fill the void left by Logan's death, but that pressure compounded with her guilt was a lot for Rose to bear.
Overall: An emotional tale of grief, loss, love, and letting go, which was filled with laughter, tears, friendship, and affection.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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• Pro: I was elated as Rose reintegrated herself into her former life. It pained me that she was grieving and carrying around the guilt associated with her brother's death for so long, and I just wanted her to be able to forgive herself and live again.
• Pro: Rose's new-old friends were fabulous. They were fun and artsy and very real. It was a beautiful thing watching them bring Rose back into the fold, but it was also fun just being in their presence.
• Pro: Jamie, Jamie, Jamie. ❤️ I adored this sweet little cinnamon roll.
• Pro: I am a fan of second chances, and there was a lot of that going on in this book. This was Rose's second chance at romance with Jamie, but it was also her second chance to rejoin her theatre clique and pursue something she had a passion for. I was glad she had Jamie to encourage her and that she decided to take the leap.
• Pro: Schneider did a great job helping me understand Rose's emotions regarding the loss of her brother. She was now older than her brother ever was and experiencing things he never got to experience. I felt and shared Rose's pain, and shed quite a few tears for her.
• Pro: I liked the way Schneider addressed the change in the family dynamic after Logan's death, as well as the different ways each member of the family was coping. Rose felt a lot of pressure to be perfect, because she had to fill the void left by Logan's death, but that pressure compounded with her guilt was a lot for Rose to bear.
Overall: An emotional tale of grief, loss, love, and letting go, which was filled with laughter, tears, friendship, and affection.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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May 20, 2018
4 stars
When I first found out that we were getting another Robyn Schneider book, I was SO EXCITED. I've read both of her earlier books and really enjoyed them.
Despite this, I eventually came of my high and was a tad wary because as much as I loved her first two books, they were extraordinarily similar in plot structure and ending, just with slightly different characters & settings, and I hoped Invisible Ghosts, with its different cover style, would be a little different.
And I was so lucky to find that it gave me something new and unique and awesome without sacrificing the elements in Schneider's writing that I loved.
It was still equally tragic as her other novels, just in different ways. And it still had that element of romance, but with different people.
It was so purely Robyn Schneider without feeling like I was rereading one of her books, and I think this really helped live it up to my expectations.
I loved the sort of magical element as both of the main characters, Rose and Jamie, can see ghosts. And the fact that Rose hangs out with her dead 15 year old brother is a really huge element of the plot.
Because her dead ghost brother is in a way, holding Rose back physically, which I thought was a really good parallel to how Rose was held back from progressing emotionally.
I think the way Schenider used the ghosts to help Rose move on was really lovely and it made it so impactful. I was extraordinarily moved by Rose's grief and was on the verge of tears in multiple instances because letting go is extremely hard. And embracing change is extremely hard.
There are so many good themes about grief in this, as well as themes about friendship, which is something that I do want to talk a little about.
I do think Rose was extremely cynical about the concept of friendship and I didn't necessarily agree with her. For me, it felt like Rose was making everything more extreme and creating the idea of cliques and really emphasizing them into reality.
But that's not really what high school is like, at least not in my experience. Yes, there are friend groups, but it's not like people never intermingle. It's not like you have to stay in your place.
And Rose learns this in the story, but I feel like she didn't get the closure necessary with her old friend group. The extent of her closure was found in her waving goodbye to her friend Kate, and that was it. She spent time with three girls for the past couple years, and now it means nothing to her? There were absolutely zero highlights she could have found in doing so?
Sure, sometimes one of the girls were mean, but did Rose really have zero highlights in her time with them? I don't think that could have happened because there's got to be something good to make her stay, besides just the benefits of being looked over.
I just feel like she didn't get the closure necessary and also didn't treat her temporary friend group well despite how much time they spent together. If I was in her friends' group, I would have been really hurt, and it's not just because I "lost another person to take the mean girl in the group's attention off of me."
I don't think Rose gave some of the girls enough credit and made them bad by association for hanging out with the one girl the group centered on.
So I think this element of friendship within the story did need a little bit more for me to feel satisfied.
But I did love what Rose experienced with her new friend group that she actually had in middle school because she learns how popular kids are just normal people and they're not always unfriendly, which was a nice message to me. They were fun and entertaining and a better fit for Rose, and so even though she didn't get the proper closure, she did find a place that was better for her.
Plus, the romance was cute, as always (and not as tragic as Schneider's other novels) and Rose and Jamie were a nice pair and Jamie's arrival did a really good job of spurring all the change that was happening in Rose's life.
Overall, I did really enjoy reading this as it was a quick and sweet read that dealt with both grief, love, and friendship. If you're looking for an entertaining contemporary that has a lot of internal reflection, I'd definitely recommend you check this out! If you loved Schneider's other novels, I'd also recommend, and even if you didn't, I think there are still things to enjoy in this!
Thank you so much to Harper Collins & Edelweiss for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review!
PRE-READ REACTION
WE'RE GETTING ANOTHER ROBYN SCHNEIDER BOOK OMG
It's been three years and I thought she'd disappeared and left us all in the dust but now I'm just so ready for this book I could burst.
This was me for the past three years:
And this is me now:
I never thought this day would come.
This just makes me so happy inside I'm bursting Edelweiss, you ain't seen nothing of me yet.
Blog | Instagram | Twitter
When I first found out that we were getting another Robyn Schneider book, I was SO EXCITED. I've read both of her earlier books and really enjoyed them.
Despite this, I eventually came of my high and was a tad wary because as much as I loved her first two books, they were extraordinarily similar in plot structure and ending, just with slightly different characters & settings, and I hoped Invisible Ghosts, with its different cover style, would be a little different.
And I was so lucky to find that it gave me something new and unique and awesome without sacrificing the elements in Schneider's writing that I loved.
It was still equally tragic as her other novels, just in different ways. And it still had that element of romance, but with different people.
It was so purely Robyn Schneider without feeling like I was rereading one of her books, and I think this really helped live it up to my expectations.
I loved the sort of magical element as both of the main characters, Rose and Jamie, can see ghosts. And the fact that Rose hangs out with her dead 15 year old brother is a really huge element of the plot.
Because her dead ghost brother is in a way, holding Rose back physically, which I thought was a really good parallel to how Rose was held back from progressing emotionally.
I think the way Schenider used the ghosts to help Rose move on was really lovely and it made it so impactful. I was extraordinarily moved by Rose's grief and was on the verge of tears in multiple instances because letting go is extremely hard. And embracing change is extremely hard.
There are so many good themes about grief in this, as well as themes about friendship, which is something that I do want to talk a little about.
I do think Rose was extremely cynical about the concept of friendship and I didn't necessarily agree with her. For me, it felt like Rose was making everything more extreme and creating the idea of cliques and really emphasizing them into reality.
But that's not really what high school is like, at least not in my experience. Yes, there are friend groups, but it's not like people never intermingle. It's not like you have to stay in your place.
And Rose learns this in the story, but I feel like she didn't get the closure necessary with her old friend group. The extent of her closure was found in her waving goodbye to her friend Kate, and that was it. She spent time with three girls for the past couple years, and now it means nothing to her? There were absolutely zero highlights she could have found in doing so?
Sure, sometimes one of the girls were mean, but did Rose really have zero highlights in her time with them? I don't think that could have happened because there's got to be something good to make her stay, besides just the benefits of being looked over.
I just feel like she didn't get the closure necessary and also didn't treat her temporary friend group well despite how much time they spent together. If I was in her friends' group, I would have been really hurt, and it's not just because I "lost another person to take the mean girl in the group's attention off of me."
I don't think Rose gave some of the girls enough credit and made them bad by association for hanging out with the one girl the group centered on.
So I think this element of friendship within the story did need a little bit more for me to feel satisfied.
But I did love what Rose experienced with her new friend group that she actually had in middle school because she learns how popular kids are just normal people and they're not always unfriendly, which was a nice message to me. They were fun and entertaining and a better fit for Rose, and so even though she didn't get the proper closure, she did find a place that was better for her.
Plus, the romance was cute, as always (and not as tragic as Schneider's other novels) and Rose and Jamie were a nice pair and Jamie's arrival did a really good job of spurring all the change that was happening in Rose's life.
Overall, I did really enjoy reading this as it was a quick and sweet read that dealt with both grief, love, and friendship. If you're looking for an entertaining contemporary that has a lot of internal reflection, I'd definitely recommend you check this out! If you loved Schneider's other novels, I'd also recommend, and even if you didn't, I think there are still things to enjoy in this!
Thank you so much to Harper Collins & Edelweiss for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review!
PRE-READ REACTION
WE'RE GETTING ANOTHER ROBYN SCHNEIDER BOOK OMG
It's been three years and I thought she'd disappeared and left us all in the dust but now I'm just so ready for this book I could burst.
This was me for the past three years:
And this is me now:
I never thought this day would come.
This just makes me so happy inside I'm bursting Edelweiss, you ain't seen nothing of me yet.
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May 28, 2024
Actual rating: 2.5
A relaxing light read that often feels like it doesn't know what to do with itself. There's a certain appeal to this story, even though it is arguably bland and boring. It can be the kind of book you read to soothe your nerves and let your guard down. But there are so many scenes here that feel unnecessary and didn't really contribute to the plot.
A relaxing light read that often feels like it doesn't know what to do with itself. There's a certain appeal to this story, even though it is arguably bland and boring. It can be the kind of book you read to soothe your nerves and let your guard down. But there are so many scenes here that feel unnecessary and didn't really contribute to the plot.
June 3, 2018
"But then I'd learned that running away is the easy part: it's finding your way back that's almost impossible."
Invisible Ghosts was a short, sweet book that touched my heart and wouldn't let me put the story down. It's a perfect light summer read, with adorable romance and just enough of the supernatural to keep me hooked the entire time.
It's the story of a girl whose brother was killed years ago -- except he stayed behind as a ghost and waits for her every afternoon at their house, ready to watch Netflix and lie on the sofa with her. Just like he always has. And even if Rose Asher has no real friends, even if she'll never have a chance with the boy who's just moved back into town, even if more of her time is spent with the dead than the living -- it's got to be better than losing her brother forever, right?
The writing style is good, and the characters are well-drawn, but one major issue I had as a young adult reviewer was the major misuse of teen slang in a few places throughout the novel. It tries to connect and relate with a younger audience by using slang (and using it wrong, whoops) and in many places it was unneccessary and actually only further highlighted that the book was written by an adult, ruining the flow a little bit. This was really a shame, since the book was pretty fun and intriguing otherwise.
It reminds me of several other YA novels that are currently doing well, but Invisible Ghosts has just enough magic and originality to set itself apart a little. I appreciated how characters that seemed flat or tropey ended up being a little deeper and more complex than was originally expected; however, beyond the main three characters, the cast isn't particularly memorable and many names become a meaningless blur.
It sends some really beautiful messages about growing up, becoming yourself, and loving your friends, family, and the people around you. It's basically a coming-of-age story with ghosts, fandom references which loads of people will enjoy, and a healthy amount of Netflix.
There are a couple of problems too, though -- the "love interest saves girl" wasn't so obvious in this one, but I think it was there. It didn't really annoy me as much for some reason.
Overall, Invisible Ghosts was a really interesting and charming read, and one that I'd easily recommend to others for the upcoming summer.
(It's coming out on June 5th, just like approximately half the other books this year. Would someone explain that to me please?)
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Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC via Edelweiss. This doesn't affect my opinion. I'm honest, people. Also, I feel like I should say that the quotes might change in the final edition.
June 5, 2018
*Disclaimer* An ARC of Invisible Ghosts by Robyn Schneider was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my review in any way.
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What I Liked
The unexpected paranormal. I don't know how I missed the fact that this book had a paranormal twist to it. I just assumed by the synopsis that Rose could see the ghost of her brother because that was the only way she knew how to cope with his death, but nope...she could actually see his ghost. This kind of threw me at first, but in the end, I was totally okay with the unexpected paranormal aspect of this story.
The concept. As mentioned above, the paranormal aspect of this novel caught me off guard, but I did really enjoy the concept. I loved that it twisted the expected into the unexpected. Usually you get people in mourning who are imagining their lost loved ones, but in this case they were actually seeing and communicating with them. I really enjoyed this as a concept.
The relationships. I found the relationship between Rose and her brother very heartwarming. You could tell that they both genuinely cared for one another and it truly broke them having to be separated by life and death. I loved that they weren't perfect. They both struggled to let go of one another and therefore cause strains in their relationship. This made it feel like a real and believable brother/sister bond.
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What I Didn’t Like
But also, the relationships. As much as I loved Jamie as a character, I did not really enjoy the relationship between him and Rose. I understand that they were best friends as children, but I still felt as though their reuniting after many years and falling in love with each other right away was a little too insta-love and predictable for me.
The lack of explanation. Why could both Rose and Jamie see and communicate with ghosts/spirits? Seriously though...it was never explained...it was just a thing that we were meant to accept. I just would have liked a little explanation as to why this was possible for them.
The repetitive writing. I counted 4 TIMES that the most overused cliché YA sentence of "I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding" was used. In one instance they were literally only separated by a single page. I couldn't help but roll my eyes each time it happened and the fact that it happened multiple times was unfortunate.
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Overall, Invisible Ghosts was an enjoyable read that was really fast paced and that contained an interesting concept. However, there were a few things that clearly didn't work for me that stopped this book from being something that I completely enjoyed.
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Initial post reading thoughts:
There were things that bothered me, but I liked the overall themes of this one.
August 5, 2018
INVISIBLE GHOSTS is a melancholy love story that deals with grief, loss, and first romances. This novel follows Rose, whose older brother Logan died a few years prior. When her childhood friend Jamie returns to their town and they start to rebond, they grapple with the relationship they have with Logan, who occasionally comes back as a ghost.
This standalone covers a few themes which I enjoyed, such as first love and grief. Jamie and Rose develop a relationship throughout the novel, which I thought was sweet, and they also help each other out in terms of dealing with the loss of a loved one. Additionally, if you enjoy theater, I would definitely pick this novel up, as many of the characters are involved in theater and show production.
My only reservation is that I felt like there wasn’t much of a plot, besides the return of Jamie to Rose’s school and neighborhood. Nothing much really happens until maybe half the book, during which Jamie and Rose go through some relationship issues and eventually hash it out and they deal with Logan and his increasingly dangerous appearances.
Overall, INVISIBLE GHOSTS had some significant themes throughout the novel and I enjoyed the paranormal aspect, but the plot was lacking. I think that if you enjoy theater and place emphasis on the grief and healing aspect of the book, you would probably enjoy this more than I did.
Thank you to Harper for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This standalone covers a few themes which I enjoyed, such as first love and grief. Jamie and Rose develop a relationship throughout the novel, which I thought was sweet, and they also help each other out in terms of dealing with the loss of a loved one. Additionally, if you enjoy theater, I would definitely pick this novel up, as many of the characters are involved in theater and show production.
My only reservation is that I felt like there wasn’t much of a plot, besides the return of Jamie to Rose’s school and neighborhood. Nothing much really happens until maybe half the book, during which Jamie and Rose go through some relationship issues and eventually hash it out and they deal with Logan and his increasingly dangerous appearances.
Overall, INVISIBLE GHOSTS had some significant themes throughout the novel and I enjoyed the paranormal aspect, but the plot was lacking. I think that if you enjoy theater and place emphasis on the grief and healing aspect of the book, you would probably enjoy this more than I did.
Thank you to Harper for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 12, 2018
Invisible Ghosts is a standalone YA contemporary romance with a twist.
This was my first book by this author. I had no idea what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. I could not put this book down.
The story takes place in Southern California. The narrator is 16 year old Rose (1st person POV). Her brother died. Her best friend moved away. She was hiding and not really living at all.
I have always enjoyed books with psychic elements or ghosts. So I was very curious to see how this would work in this story. There is a ghost that Rose can see. But IMO the ghost is not the main focus of the story. For me there was just enough of the ghost aspect of the story. It definitely read like a YA contemporary romance with just a bit of paranormal.
Things that I liked: 1) I loved that theatre played such a big part of the story. Although I actually wish that there had been even more of it. 2) I loved that the lead character was Jewish. But again I wish that there had been even more of it.
I really liked this book a lot. This was a quick, enjoyable read.
Thanks to edelweiss and Katherine Tegen Books for allowing me to read this book.
This was my first book by this author. I had no idea what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. I could not put this book down.
The story takes place in Southern California. The narrator is 16 year old Rose (1st person POV). Her brother died. Her best friend moved away. She was hiding and not really living at all.
I have always enjoyed books with psychic elements or ghosts. So I was very curious to see how this would work in this story. There is a ghost that Rose can see. But IMO the ghost is not the main focus of the story. For me there was just enough of the ghost aspect of the story. It definitely read like a YA contemporary romance with just a bit of paranormal.
Things that I liked: 1) I loved that theatre played such a big part of the story. Although I actually wish that there had been even more of it. 2) I loved that the lead character was Jewish. But again I wish that there had been even more of it.
I really liked this book a lot. This was a quick, enjoyable read.
Thanks to edelweiss and Katherine Tegen Books for allowing me to read this book.
June 7, 2018
This book was suprisingly good. I say suprisingly because I was a little concerned with the concept of a ghost brother. I thought maybe it would be Rose's way of dealing with her brother's loss but nope. She actually saw her brother's ghost. I really enjoyed the paranormal twist to the book. The concept of her brother being a ghost fit so naturally into the story that I forgot I was reading a book involving a ghost. The relationship between Jamie and Rose was done well and I enjoyed their interactions together. One of my favorite parts of the story was the focus on Rose finding herself. I could definitely relate to that and I like that it showed her growth.
June 10, 2018
4/5 Stars
December 28, 2024
A quick read, well written, and emotional. I would have liked a better ending with less haste. A solid 3 stars.
July 2, 2018
I really enjoy Robyn Schneider’s writing and story-telling style, so it should come as no surprise to anyone that I really loved this book!
Rose has been living with a secret. She sees ghosts… more specifically, one, her brother Logan, who died at 15. Since his death, Rose has pushed aside anything and everything to spend time him. She’s stuck with a group of friends she barely tolerates and sees only at school, until a long-lost friend returns.
Jamie used to be the boy next door. They were friends until he moved away and they grew apart. Now he’s back and as she watches him slide easily back into her former friend group, she can’t help but think of all the things she’s missing out on because of her sense of obligation to her ghost of a brother.
When Rose finds out Jamie has a secret of his own, one that will bind them in ways no one could have expected, she starts to spread her wings and take back the life she has wanted to get back to. Unfortunately, Logan isn’t happy to see her growing up and apart from him.
I absolutely loved this ship. Rose and Jamie were so wonderfully cute and sweet and watching them rekindle their friendship was simply the best. I love that this story had a paranormal spin to it. It made it unique and stand out from other contemporaries in a way that was unexpected.
If you’re looking for a quick and lovely story that really focuses on grief and family and friendship, this is the story for you. Schneider really does an amazing job of conveying the gravity and seriousness of these topics, but adds a touch of humor and levity that is needed in books like this.
Rose has been living with a secret. She sees ghosts… more specifically, one, her brother Logan, who died at 15. Since his death, Rose has pushed aside anything and everything to spend time him. She’s stuck with a group of friends she barely tolerates and sees only at school, until a long-lost friend returns.
Jamie used to be the boy next door. They were friends until he moved away and they grew apart. Now he’s back and as she watches him slide easily back into her former friend group, she can’t help but think of all the things she’s missing out on because of her sense of obligation to her ghost of a brother.
When Rose finds out Jamie has a secret of his own, one that will bind them in ways no one could have expected, she starts to spread her wings and take back the life she has wanted to get back to. Unfortunately, Logan isn’t happy to see her growing up and apart from him.
I absolutely loved this ship. Rose and Jamie were so wonderfully cute and sweet and watching them rekindle their friendship was simply the best. I love that this story had a paranormal spin to it. It made it unique and stand out from other contemporaries in a way that was unexpected.
If you’re looking for a quick and lovely story that really focuses on grief and family and friendship, this is the story for you. Schneider really does an amazing job of conveying the gravity and seriousness of these topics, but adds a touch of humor and levity that is needed in books like this.
July 30, 2018
I really loved this!
The writing style was wonderfulenough to overlook the few cliché and repeated phrases, and the characters were all lovely. Plus they were diverse! And the ship was really cute, and didn't seem insta-lovey at all (probably because they had history already).
The plot was great, and full of humor and tension and aggravation and emotion (started crying a bit there at the end), and I flew through this story in what feels like no time at all.
I think there are some excellent lines in here about grief and moving on and learning to let go, and I wish I'd bookmarked some of them for this review (oh well). Author also named a few of my fandoms throughout, which is always cool to see!
What I'm trying to say is, this book was even better than I'd been hoping for.
4 stars!
Edit: dropped it a star because I think I was still high off emotions when I rated this, and now that I've had some time away from it I just don't feel like it deserved a full five stars. Considering that I didn't even remember the MC's first name.. Yeah.
The writing style was wonderful
The plot was great, and full of humor and tension and aggravation and emotion (started crying a bit there at the end), and I flew through this story in what feels like no time at all.
I think there are some excellent lines in here about grief and moving on and learning to let go, and I wish I'd bookmarked some of them for this review (oh well). Author also named a few of my fandoms throughout, which is always cool to see!
What I'm trying to say is, this book was even better than I'd been hoping for.
4 stars!
Edit: dropped it a star because I think I was still high off emotions when I rated this, and now that I've had some time away from it I just don't feel like it deserved a full five stars. Considering that I didn't even remember the MC's first name.. Yeah.
May 31, 2021
This book let out the breath it didn't know it was holding THREE TIMES.
February 17, 2019
"This isn't a ghost story," I told him. "It's a love story with a ghost in it."
Damn it. What have you done to me? I've never cried so hard in a while for such a deep, emotional read. This book gave way to my feels running in my head right now. Especially Logan and Jamie. That last chapter can't leave me just hanging like that!
I went into this book not knowing what's in store for me since it's quite a very short book. And I was so grateful that I had the guts to buy this book. The character dynamics were actually quite strong in this one.
This isn't your typical paranormal story even though it's stated on what the summary said otherwise. When it mentions ghosts, does it literally mean that the story would expect to talk about just hunting ghosts and discovering their origins? Definitely not in the case with this contemporary. But if you thought to yourself that this is really "a ghost story adventure," then I hate to break it to you that that's not what the book is about. Sadly.
July 25, 2018
I‘m crying. This was so cute, funny and sad. I just had all the emotions while reading this
November 28, 2019
I'd made so many spurious correlations, and I saw that now. I'd started to doubt myself and question where I belonged even before Logan's death. It was only after that I'd tried to find meaning gin the mess of it all. I'd scrutinized my worst days, looking for some tangible thing that connected them, some omen I could use to recognize impending disaster. But the past doesn't tell you all that much about the future, no matter how hard you wish it did.
Sometimes you look around at your life and you see a ghost of a different one. It watches from the wings like an understudy that knows it won't go on. The play unfolds, and eventually, when you glance backstage, that life you knew is gone, and no one watching ever knew it was there at all.
God, the cover looks so beautiful in real life. I spent like two days admiring it.
Sometimes you look around at your life and you see a ghost of a different one. It watches from the wings like an understudy that knows it won't go on. The play unfolds, and eventually, when you glance backstage, that life you knew is gone, and no one watching ever knew it was there at all.
God, the cover looks so beautiful in real life. I spent like two days admiring it.
May 30, 2021
When Rose was in her sixth grade, her brother Logan died. But after some time Logan's ghost comes back and Rose is delighted to have her best friend back in her life. Things become complicated when Jamie, an old friend arrives in the neighborhood and she finds herself contemplating what she actually want in her life - the ghost of her brother whom she loves dearly or the boy whom she has started to having feelings for.
Jamie, on the other hand, is hiding secret(s) and inevitably, it will change everything. What happens when everything collides and the explosion would destroy every single thing? And it's upto Rose to make the choice, a difficult one because picking one of them would mean to lose the other forever.
This book has been on my to be read list for a long time. When I first read the blurb, I knew I would love it but as the days passed I got preoccupied with other books. I recently came across the audiobook for this and it was perfect. The narrator did an amazing job in bringing out the full impact of each character with their emotions and feelings. Robyn Schneider's electrifying writing style was top-notch and i was pulled into the story from the very first page. Rose was such an relatable character and her interaction with Logan was so adorable. The mediator series was the last book series that had this charm and I was wondering if I'll ever read another such book, The invisible ghosts definitely got into that list.
Jamie, on the other hand, is hiding secret(s) and inevitably, it will change everything. What happens when everything collides and the explosion would destroy every single thing? And it's upto Rose to make the choice, a difficult one because picking one of them would mean to lose the other forever.
This book has been on my to be read list for a long time. When I first read the blurb, I knew I would love it but as the days passed I got preoccupied with other books. I recently came across the audiobook for this and it was perfect. The narrator did an amazing job in bringing out the full impact of each character with their emotions and feelings. Robyn Schneider's electrifying writing style was top-notch and i was pulled into the story from the very first page. Rose was such an relatable character and her interaction with Logan was so adorable. The mediator series was the last book series that had this charm and I was wondering if I'll ever read another such book, The invisible ghosts definitely got into that list.
September 30, 2020
READ THIS!!! I love this book! I love the lightness of it and the values laden inside. It's a coming of age book that truly touches on school social clique, family, friends, love, acceptance, and personal growth. I really loved and enjoyed reading this book! This is something I'd re-read over when I'm on a vacation!
First, I love the main character, Rose! I was amused by her 'spurious correlations', it's interesting, funny and something new I learned too! I also understood her internal struggles when it came to friends and moving forward. But what I loved most about her was her growth (that was showed in a lot of ways), and her acceptance that comes with moving forward. I love how she was knowledgeable and accepting of what's wrong and when the opportunity showed itself to resolve it, she took it, amidst fear, pain, and all. I love how she also helped saved herself and wasn't reliant to what helped her.
Another character I love is Rose's brother, Logan. I really loved this guy! Sadly... he's a ghost. And his death is something that made Rose cower from life and choose invisibility. The reaction to his death is also his reason for staying. Enveloped in simple rule of "Watch out for each other." I loved and ached for Logan. I truly did. I love the brother that he is. How he is flawed, but at the same time his love for his sister is very much his reason for staying. His love is evident, true, and real. I also loved how he knew and accepted when to move on, how even in his last moment staying with Rose, he showed love to her. Truly, it was a heartbreaking good bye to me.
Then there's Jamie, he played an important part in Rose's growth. I love how he isn't a difficult partner and love interest. He brought her out of her hiding in his own way. He helped her come out of her shell, he didn't push her to it, and he always gave her a choice. I love their chemistry and on top of that I love that he's written as smart, funny, and talented guy! Most of all, I liked how his character complimented Rose, I just love how his presence was significant in the story, but at the same time it did not push for romance to be the complete point of it.
Some of the quotes that left a mark on me are:
Logan to Rose:
"The hardest thing to do in this world is to live in it. Be brave. Live. For me."
"And go somewhere really great for college. Even if it's five thousand miles away, and make friends, and go to parties, and see the world. "
and finally, the line that broke me;
"And when you're alone in your room, and no one is around, pretend I'm there and tell me about all of it."
DAMN IT LOGAN. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST PAINFUL GOODBYES I'VE READ. DAMN IT.
For some motivation, moving forward, and you can do this quote from Rose:
"Sometimes you outgrow your friends, and sometimes you outgrow the version of yourself willing to put up with them."
First, I love the main character, Rose! I was amused by her 'spurious correlations', it's interesting, funny and something new I learned too! I also understood her internal struggles when it came to friends and moving forward. But what I loved most about her was her growth (that was showed in a lot of ways), and her acceptance that comes with moving forward. I love how she was knowledgeable and accepting of what's wrong and when the opportunity showed itself to resolve it, she took it, amidst fear, pain, and all. I love how she also helped saved herself and wasn't reliant to what helped her.
Another character I love is Rose's brother, Logan. I really loved this guy! Sadly... he's a ghost. And his death is something that made Rose cower from life and choose invisibility. The reaction to his death is also his reason for staying. Enveloped in simple rule of "Watch out for each other." I loved and ached for Logan. I truly did. I love the brother that he is. How he is flawed, but at the same time his love for his sister is very much his reason for staying. His love is evident, true, and real. I also loved how he knew and accepted when to move on, how even in his last moment staying with Rose, he showed love to her. Truly, it was a heartbreaking good bye to me.
Then there's Jamie, he played an important part in Rose's growth. I love how he isn't a difficult partner and love interest. He brought her out of her hiding in his own way. He helped her come out of her shell, he didn't push her to it, and he always gave her a choice. I love their chemistry and on top of that I love that he's written as smart, funny, and talented guy! Most of all, I liked how his character complimented Rose, I just love how his presence was significant in the story, but at the same time it did not push for romance to be the complete point of it.
Some of the quotes that left a mark on me are:
Logan to Rose:
"The hardest thing to do in this world is to live in it. Be brave. Live. For me."
"And go somewhere really great for college. Even if it's five thousand miles away, and make friends, and go to parties, and see the world. "
and finally, the line that broke me;
"And when you're alone in your room, and no one is around, pretend I'm there and tell me about all of it."
DAMN IT LOGAN. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST PAINFUL GOODBYES I'VE READ. DAMN IT.
For some motivation, moving forward, and you can do this quote from Rose:
"Sometimes you outgrow your friends, and sometimes you outgrow the version of yourself willing to put up with them."
Read
January 8, 2018Every time I see Robyn Schneider coming out with a book I think to myself how I'm going to love it because she is so tumblr to me. Her books are infused with fandom life I simply can't resist. Sadly, there's always something missing and I don't end up enjoying them as much as I hoped I would.
I'm not rating and reviewing the book at the moment-I will do it after the release date.
I'm not rating and reviewing the book at the moment-I will do it after the release date.
September 2, 2018
For the girl who secretly hoped she'd get a Hogwarts letter --
For the girl who makes wishes on every 11:11--
For the girl who ran out of space on her bookshelves and bought this book anyway
"It's just your job that's causing you stress, not your life."
For the girl who makes wishes on every 11:11--
For the girl who ran out of space on her bookshelves and bought this book anyway
"It's just your job that's causing you stress, not your life."
May 20, 2018
I love me some Robyn Schneider. This book is fantastic - ghosts, love, and loads of nerdy references.
August 25, 2018
This book would have gotten 5 stars if it wasn't for the fact that it had the dreaded YA phrase "I let out a breath I didn't know i'd been holding" in it 3 times.
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