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The Ghost Hunter's Daughter
Supernatural meets Mean Girls in this YA horror mystery for older teens.
Sixteen-year-old Anna sees things from another world, the spiritual world, a skill that isn't exactly useful in high school. It's bad enough that her mother, possessed by a demon, took her own life when Anna was a child, a loss she remains tortured by. Now her father makes his living "clearing" haunted objects, and Anna's job as his assistant makes her a social misfit. Most kids in her suburban New Jersey town refer to her just as "Goblin Girl."
Only Freddy and Dor remain loyal friends. But Anna's so focused on her own problems, she's missed that her connection with Freddy is moving beyond the friend zone and that Dor is in crisis.
As junior year approaches, a rare solar storm lights up the night skies and the citizens of Bloomtown begin to act strangely: Anna's teachers lash out, her best friends withdraw, and the school bullies go from mean to murderous. When Anna realizes she can harness this evil power, she sets out to save Bloomtown and the only family she has left.
But to do so, she must keep her own increasingly dark urges at bay.
Content warnings: suicide (while possessed), bullying, self-harm, pet harm, predatory adults in positions of power
Sixteen-year-old Anna sees things from another world, the spiritual world, a skill that isn't exactly useful in high school. It's bad enough that her mother, possessed by a demon, took her own life when Anna was a child, a loss she remains tortured by. Now her father makes his living "clearing" haunted objects, and Anna's job as his assistant makes her a social misfit. Most kids in her suburban New Jersey town refer to her just as "Goblin Girl."
Only Freddy and Dor remain loyal friends. But Anna's so focused on her own problems, she's missed that her connection with Freddy is moving beyond the friend zone and that Dor is in crisis.
As junior year approaches, a rare solar storm lights up the night skies and the citizens of Bloomtown begin to act strangely: Anna's teachers lash out, her best friends withdraw, and the school bullies go from mean to murderous. When Anna realizes she can harness this evil power, she sets out to save Bloomtown and the only family she has left.
But to do so, she must keep her own increasingly dark urges at bay.
Content warnings: suicide (while possessed), bullying, self-harm, pet harm, predatory adults in positions of power
244 pages, Paperback
First published April 13, 2019
34 people are currently reading
583 people want to read
About the author
Caroline Flarity
3 books205 followersCaroline Flarity grew up in Africa, Hong Kong, and the United States. She is the author of the sci-fi psychological thriller In Daylight, a Publishers Weekly/BookLife Editor's Pick. Her debut novel The Ghost Hunter’s Daughter was recommended by Monster Librarian, named a Best YA of the Year by Ginger Nuts of Horror, and won Crossroad Reviews’ Indie Book Award. Caroline writes genre-bending dark fiction with a focus on character and the uncanny.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
September 12, 2019
3.75 dark ★★★✬✩, willingly given
⇝Overall.
The blurb to The Ghost Hunter's Daughter sounded intriguing but I wasn't really sure what to expect. It's good, then, that NetGalley and the publisher East Side Press gave me the opportunity to have a look at this short book. Even the amazing cover already suggest that goosebumps-inducing hours lay ahead for me, but - heck - this is one dark story and not just because of the supernatural elements. Who would have thought?
Do not let the main character's age and circumstances (high school) fool you. I would go as far and say this book needs a trigger warning, as cases of sexual pedophilic(ish) assault and self-harm are treated in this book.
I must say I loved the sinister atmosphere of the story. The author made the world come alive vividly and it helped me to get sucked into her weird little book, as Caroline likes to call it. Usually, mystery and thriller are not on top of my genre-list but this obviously needs to change! So, let's dive into this book.
➺What’s happening.
To most people, teenager Anna is known as Goblin Girl. Her Dad Jack, supernaturalist expert on everything that could even remotely be creepy, hunts ghosts, shadow people and demons for a living and is undeniably one weird character. Ever since his wife Helen's death - inflicted on her by a demon that possessed her - his hoarding has gone out of control and self-care doesn't seem to be a top priority on his agenda either. He also appears to be a bit out of date, as Anna frequently reminds him of:
As someone whose dad still asks about "this google", I can relate 100%.
Although I am pretty confident my dad's awkwardness would never result in "social death", something, Anna swears frequently, her Dad would be easily capable of by expanding his "business".
Anyhow, the weariness of the townspeople and her peers and the burden to be the one to keep Jack's sense for reality in check lie heavy on Anna's shoulders. This only adds to the hard life of a high schooler that gets taunted day in day out by her peers. Things with her friends aren't ideal at the moment either, and they keep getting worse. Just like everything else in this god-forsaken town seems to spindle down the moral scale about 50 m/h too quickly. This can't be normal, can it? Sure, teenagers are among the cruellest beings on earth, but the reader can't help noticing that things are getting increasingly hostile around town. Anna herself can't keep from snapping at her friends and forsaking them for the school musician and douche Craig and having hostile urges that are just a tad too violent to be regular emotional outlets. Supported by her dad's new assistant Genevieve, a hippie but hot PhD that has invented a special EMF detector that is supposed to seriously up their game, Anna starts digging and doing some research. And sure enough, there are bigger powers at work. And they are, for sure, not good.
Before closing this review, I would like to get back to the beginning of my review and draw special attention to a couple of quotes. Now, sit down, because I almost screamed out loud when reading this. There is this instant when
Serious groping on his part was involved shortly after, accompanied by panicked looks from Sidney. Sidney, Anna and Dor do what they can and group up against Pickens and tell Sidney's dad about it, and
Nooo, he didn't, you might think. It's his own daughter, you argue. Well, Duh, but MEN WILL BE MEN, won't they? It is clearly intended to add to the eerie feeling of the story and even though this is not discussed explicitly further, the author clearly criticizes this and other flaws of today's sexist, victim-blaming patriarchic society. To close this sexist rant with a couple of encouraging words for anyone who is tortured by average gobeshytes or even their S.O. who is SO NOT worth it by the Goblin Girl Anna herself:
Just about over 200 pages, this author did a very good job developing the story and speeding it up just in time to not make me wonder when the actual action would start. I had a bit of trouble getting in touch with Anna sometimes, but this is definitely owed to the fact that I am about a decade older than her and could probably still relate a little too much to the annoying stupidity of teenagers.
I am pretty sure anybody my age knows exactly, that "heat-inducing glances" between teenagers pretty much translate to smug but awkward staring.
Also, Anna's character traits are badly influenced by the forces at work, so that excuses the action that made me want to squeeze her neck just a little too tight *insert creepy smiley here*.
__________________
Writing Quality + ease of reading = 4*
pace = 3* (At about 25% I was getting worried the highly expected thrills would not kick in)
plot development = 3.5*
characters = 4*
enjoyability = 4*
insightfulness= 4* (there were very serious issues tackled here and I actually liked that the flaws of today's sexist society were put on display so many times, because PEOPLE NEED TO HEAR THIS)
___________________
This eArc was provided by the publisher East Side Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book is for you if… paranormal and mysterious young adult books are (or could possibly be) just your thing. You will be pulled into the book's darkness not just because of it's paranormal setting; trigger warning for sexual assault.
⇝Overall.
The blurb to The Ghost Hunter's Daughter sounded intriguing but I wasn't really sure what to expect. It's good, then, that NetGalley and the publisher East Side Press gave me the opportunity to have a look at this short book. Even the amazing cover already suggest that goosebumps-inducing hours lay ahead for me, but - heck - this is one dark story and not just because of the supernatural elements. Who would have thought?
Do not let the main character's age and circumstances (high school) fool you. I would go as far and say this book needs a trigger warning, as cases of sexual pedophilic(ish) assault and self-harm are treated in this book.
I must say I loved the sinister atmosphere of the story. The author made the world come alive vividly and it helped me to get sucked into her weird little book, as Caroline likes to call it. Usually, mystery and thriller are not on top of my genre-list but this obviously needs to change! So, let's dive into this book.
➺What’s happening.
To most people, teenager Anna is known as Goblin Girl. Her Dad Jack, supernaturalist expert on everything that could even remotely be creepy, hunts ghosts, shadow people and demons for a living and is undeniably one weird character. Ever since his wife Helen's death - inflicted on her by a demon that possessed her - his hoarding has gone out of control and self-care doesn't seem to be a top priority on his agenda either. He also appears to be a bit out of date, as Anna frequently reminds him of:
"There is a thing, Dad, a research tool you may not have heard of. It's called the internet."
As someone whose dad still asks about "this google", I can relate 100%.
Although I am pretty confident my dad's awkwardness would never result in "social death", something, Anna swears frequently, her Dad would be easily capable of by expanding his "business".
Anyhow, the weariness of the townspeople and her peers and the burden to be the one to keep Jack's sense for reality in check lie heavy on Anna's shoulders. This only adds to the hard life of a high schooler that gets taunted day in day out by her peers. Things with her friends aren't ideal at the moment either, and they keep getting worse. Just like everything else in this god-forsaken town seems to spindle down the moral scale about 50 m/h too quickly. This can't be normal, can it? Sure, teenagers are among the cruellest beings on earth, but the reader can't help noticing that things are getting increasingly hostile around town. Anna herself can't keep from snapping at her friends and forsaking them for the school musician and douche Craig and having hostile urges that are just a tad too violent to be regular emotional outlets. Supported by her dad's new assistant Genevieve, a hippie but hot PhD that has invented a special EMF detector that is supposed to seriously up their game, Anna starts digging and doing some research. And sure enough, there are bigger powers at work. And they are, for sure, not good.
Before closing this review, I would like to get back to the beginning of my review and draw special attention to a couple of quotes. Now, sit down, because I almost screamed out loud when reading this. There is this instant when
"...Pickens pulled Sydney on his lap [and] she smiled at him, conditioned as she was to be a good girl and not hurt anyone's feelings."
Serious groping on his part was involved shortly after, accompanied by panicked looks from Sidney. Sidney, Anna and Dor do what they can and group up against Pickens and tell Sidney's dad about it, and
"He looked at her with hard eyes. "Boys will be boys.", he said."
Nooo, he didn't, you might think. It's his own daughter, you argue. Well, Duh, but MEN WILL BE MEN, won't they? It is clearly intended to add to the eerie feeling of the story and even though this is not discussed explicitly further, the author clearly criticizes this and other flaws of today's sexist, victim-blaming patriarchic society. To close this sexist rant with a couple of encouraging words for anyone who is tortured by average gobeshytes or even their S.O. who is SO NOT worth it by the Goblin Girl Anna herself:
"Let's leave that jerk in the trash where he belongs."
Just about over 200 pages, this author did a very good job developing the story and speeding it up just in time to not make me wonder when the actual action would start. I had a bit of trouble getting in touch with Anna sometimes, but this is definitely owed to the fact that I am about a decade older than her and could probably still relate a little too much to the annoying stupidity of teenagers.
"Over the summer, she and Craig shared music and chatted online, and since junior year started a few weeks ago, they'd flirted in the hallways, exchanging a few heat-inducing glances."
I am pretty sure anybody my age knows exactly, that "heat-inducing glances" between teenagers pretty much translate to smug but awkward staring.
Also, Anna's character traits are badly influenced by the forces at work, so that excuses the action that made me want to squeeze her neck just a little too tight *insert creepy smiley here*.
__________________
Writing Quality + ease of reading = 4*
pace = 3* (At about 25% I was getting worried the highly expected thrills would not kick in)
plot development = 3.5*
characters = 4*
enjoyability = 4*
insightfulness= 4* (there were very serious issues tackled here and I actually liked that the flaws of today's sexist society were put on display so many times, because PEOPLE NEED TO HEAR THIS)
___________________
This eArc was provided by the publisher East Side Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 19, 2019
The Ghost Hunter’s Daughter by Caroline Flarity is a young adult horror / paranormal fantasy. While this one is young adult with a sixteen year old main character the content is on the mature side with trigger warnings for suicide (while possessed), suicide ideation, bullying, mental illness (hoarding), self-harm, animal cruelty, predatory and abusive adults in positions of power.
Described as a mix of Supernatural and Mean Girls I couldn’t help but be curious and I suppose I could see that description. Anna is an outsider and social misfit in her town and known as the Goblin Girl due to her ability to see the supernatural and working alongside her father as he makes a living cleaning haunted objects. As a rare solar storm passes over Anna’s town bad things begin to happen to those around her forcing her to find a way to save the whole town.
I have to admit I totally missed the trigger warnings on this one myself and was thinking along the lines of a more cutesy teen drama with some ghosts and stuff but it really was a lot darker than expected. Typical horror type of wrongness begins to happen to the town to show that the evil has moved in and yes, it’s disturbing and creepy but I think that ended up catching my attention more being a horror fan. When all said and done I thought it was a solid read worth 3 1/2 stars for mature audiences.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Described as a mix of Supernatural and Mean Girls I couldn’t help but be curious and I suppose I could see that description. Anna is an outsider and social misfit in her town and known as the Goblin Girl due to her ability to see the supernatural and working alongside her father as he makes a living cleaning haunted objects. As a rare solar storm passes over Anna’s town bad things begin to happen to those around her forcing her to find a way to save the whole town.
I have to admit I totally missed the trigger warnings on this one myself and was thinking along the lines of a more cutesy teen drama with some ghosts and stuff but it really was a lot darker than expected. Typical horror type of wrongness begins to happen to the town to show that the evil has moved in and yes, it’s disturbing and creepy but I think that ended up catching my attention more being a horror fan. When all said and done I thought it was a solid read worth 3 1/2 stars for mature audiences.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
May 12, 2019
The Ghost Hunter's Daughter by Caroline Flarity is a book I requested from NetGalley and the review is voluntary. Wow, this book has me right away and held my interest to the end! I had to read it in one sitting! The story is just what the title says, but more! The girl has had an abnormal life growing up with cursed objects, "tricksters", and demons. One of those demons changed her life. Lots of great paranormal activity and creepy stuff, teen problems, suspense, and friendship. I hope there will be a series out of this! This is going in my favorite folder! So much great supernatural stuff in one book! Yes!
December 16, 2019
I definitely see the comparisons with the show "Supernatural". There are demons and possessions and just overall creepy things.
I didn't find the YA story thrilling but enjoyed the topic enough for 3 stars. The main character shows increased maturity over the course of the story. She learns to appreciate her dad and friends, while not bowing to the bullies.
*Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
I didn't find the YA story thrilling but enjoyed the topic enough for 3 stars. The main character shows increased maturity over the course of the story. She learns to appreciate her dad and friends, while not bowing to the bullies.
*Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
August 9, 2019
Thank you to the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book!
For a YA novel, this book sure gave off all the creepy vibes!!! I got to the point where I couldn't read it home alone at night and instead waited until the safe hours of daylight to brave this story of demons and ghosts and tricksters!!! Just thinking of a Trickster tugging the covers off me while I sleep and playing with my hair gave me the heebie jeebies!!!
This book wasn’t one for the light of heart, but it sure was fun and kept me entertained throughout the whole story. There were so many emotions, from fear, to sadness, to flirtation that it never really lulled at any point. I felt like it was really easy to follow as well, making it a fun and easy read. I wasn't expecting it to be so freaky though! Which in turn was actually a really fun aspect of the book. I liked that it wasn't just a little boo here and there but lived up to the name of the Ghost Hunter's Daughter and all that comes with that title. Although it would have been fun with a little more ghost hunting, I think that the story had a satisfying arc that took you from beginning to end of Anna's journey to discover who she is and where she belongs in this big scary world.
Thankfully there is a happily ever after to look forward to that leaves you with a good happy feeling in the end. I feel like most scary stories always leave you a little unsettled, but that's not the case here and I was grateful for that. I was also grateful that there was some resolution to poor Anna losing her dog. That's one of the saddest things in books with animals is when one of them dies or gets hurt, I can't handle it, but this book deals with the entire situation well and you don't feel that unyielding grief that comes with animals being harmed.
I think that this book definitely will have a certain niche of readers, I know a few of my reading buddies who would not be interested for the mere fact that there is so much about demons, but if that's not something that bothers you, then this is a fun read, especially around Halloween when the ghosts and ghools are out to play!
For a YA novel, this book sure gave off all the creepy vibes!!! I got to the point where I couldn't read it home alone at night and instead waited until the safe hours of daylight to brave this story of demons and ghosts and tricksters!!! Just thinking of a Trickster tugging the covers off me while I sleep and playing with my hair gave me the heebie jeebies!!!
This book wasn’t one for the light of heart, but it sure was fun and kept me entertained throughout the whole story. There were so many emotions, from fear, to sadness, to flirtation that it never really lulled at any point. I felt like it was really easy to follow as well, making it a fun and easy read. I wasn't expecting it to be so freaky though! Which in turn was actually a really fun aspect of the book. I liked that it wasn't just a little boo here and there but lived up to the name of the Ghost Hunter's Daughter and all that comes with that title. Although it would have been fun with a little more ghost hunting, I think that the story had a satisfying arc that took you from beginning to end of Anna's journey to discover who she is and where she belongs in this big scary world.
Thankfully there is a happily ever after to look forward to that leaves you with a good happy feeling in the end. I feel like most scary stories always leave you a little unsettled, but that's not the case here and I was grateful for that. I was also grateful that there was some resolution to poor Anna losing her dog. That's one of the saddest things in books with animals is when one of them dies or gets hurt, I can't handle it, but this book deals with the entire situation well and you don't feel that unyielding grief that comes with animals being harmed.
I think that this book definitely will have a certain niche of readers, I know a few of my reading buddies who would not be interested for the mere fact that there is so much about demons, but if that's not something that bothers you, then this is a fun read, especially around Halloween when the ghosts and ghools are out to play!
November 18, 2020
“If something evil was brewing in Bloomtown, Anna had to figure out how to stop it. She’d lost her mother, but would be damned if she’d sit by and lose anyone else. She’d rather cross into Source.”📚 Series? No.
📚 Genre? YA Paranormal Mystery / Horror
📚 Read for? #NetgalleyNovember #30DayReviewChallenge Day 9
⚠ Content Warnings: Bullying. Peer pressure. Suicidal thoughts. Mental illness. Self harm. Abuse. Animal cruelty.
⚠ Book Tags : Demons. Supernaturals.
⚠ This Book In Emojis: 💀☠🧐👻👻👻👻
Not What I Was Expecting... In a Good Way
When I requested this book from Netgalley, I was mainly attracted by the unique title. I didn't care for the synopsis, but I was sold from the cover alone.
Fast forward to quite a few months now, the Ghost Hunter's Daughter was able to provide me with a surprising experience.
As a YA debut, this book gave an attempt at normal teen life then crossed it over with supernatural elements. Anna, our lead, experiences normal high school dilemmas like bullies, friends, crushes, and relationships with parents. The catch is that there is a demon disrupting the peace in her small town and it makes people become the worst version of themselves.
If you notice the trigger warnings above, I have to admit I was surprised by all of those. I was expecting some cute PG horror, but there were some serious themes touched on by this book. Though there was a considerable amount of sleuthing, the teenage drama sideplots also seeked to balance it all out.
All in all, it was still an entertaining read. It wasn't what I was expecting coming on to the book, but it still gave me a fun adventure for a few hours
☁ THE CRITERIA ☁
🌼 Blurb:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Main Character:⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Significant Other: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Support Characters:⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Writing Style:⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Character Development:⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Mystery/Thrill: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Pacing: ⭐⭐☆☆☆
🌼 Ending: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Unputdownability: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Book Cover:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
☁FINAL VERDICT: 3.27/5 ☁
Much thanks to Netgalley and East Side Press for this complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and opinions are fully my own. Also, all quotes are taken from the ARC and may be different in the final published copy.
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May 23, 2019
This review can be found on my blog, RockStarlit BookAsylum!
Actual rating: 3.5*
I've got a review copy through Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
"Freddy steered Major Tom off Eden Street and traveled down the back road that connected to local Route 33, a two-lane highway packed with stoplights, gas stations, fast food and strip malls in a bland montage of Anytown, America."
YA is not a genre I normally read - mainly because I'm not the target audience anymore, but I like to make exceptions every once in a while when something catches my eyes. I've come across The Ghost Hunter's Daughter on Netgalley and as I had a bit of free time on my hands, I requested it - of course I've got a load of books later on... but that's my form. Anyway, I more or less knew what I was getting into with this one, but decided that some lighter read wouldn't hurt after some epic fantasy tomes. All that said, while I enjoyed reading The Ghost Hunter's Daughter, it didn't make me crave to read more YA in the near future.
Our MC is 16 years old Anna, who lives with his father, the paranormal investigator Jack. Who, ever since losing his wife 8 years ago had become a hoarder. One of the things I really appreciated in The Ghost Hunter's Daughter is that it dealt with topics like grief and mental illness - to a point. Anna has no idea how to handle the situation, but then that's not something a 16 year old necessarily has to know anyway. Then again, fighting demons and evil spirits aren't in the average 16 year old's daily routine either.
I have ambivalent feelings toward Anna. On one hand, she has to act like an adult - no wonder, having a parent like Jack - and on the other, she acts like a typical annoying teenager. She has a crush on the most popular guy in school - of course. She also has two friends - surprise, surprise - Freddy and Dor. To make the usual trope complete, they have or don't have crushes on each other, which of course creates tension between the characters. Personally I would have been OK not having this plotline as it didn't really give anything to the story overall. It was cute - or annoying depending on your POV, but nothing more. Her friends being pissed at her for being distant and selfish was much more believable than the teen love drama. As Freddy and Dor had their own very real problems with life and their parents. More focus on that rather than the school perverts would have been benefitial for this story in my opinion.
Thankfully this is was only a sideplot, and not the main focus. Which is, to say, a demon wreaking havoc in the boring town of rural Bloomtown. Jack not being the most reliable figure, it's up to Anna to deal with the chaos and figure out who is behind things. Her only real help is Geneva, her dad's new assistant, inventor, hippie. She kind of reminded me of Phoebe from Friends by her description. With her tool and presence Anna finally can get to the bottom of things.
Now, not many people knows this about me, but I like to watch paranormal investigation shows on TV when I catch them. I can't say I believe in ghosts, spirits, entities or whatever you want to call them, but I'm fascinated by these shows nonetheless. Just because I never had experiences like that, it doesn't mean others' aren't valid. In all honesty, I think this was what really attracted me in The Ghost Hunter's Daughter. I hoped for some cool investigation with spooky events and experiences. Sure, I knew there was teen drama to get with YA, but I hoped it won't be too much.
I probably would have liked more to have a villain with a more interesting motivation/background. Take for example the box Anna uses to get revenge on the school bully - now, that was a nasty piece, and actually I found that spirit or whatever it was more interesting than the actual evil antagonist. Even if it the revelation of who it pretended to be was a nice twist. I expected someone else to be the culprit. And it had some tricks himself as it turned out in the final confrontation.
Okay, I went a bit overly critical here. In all fairness, The Ghost Hunter's Daughter is a solid and entertaining read. Being the debut of Caroline Flarity, I think it has good potential. All in all, it mostly delivered what I expected: a fast paced, sometimes spooky read with a bit of teen drama. If you like ghost hunter stories, evil spirits wreaking havoc in a little town playing mindgames on people, with teen angst and love drama on the side, then I'm sure you will enjoy The Ghost Hunter's Daughter.
Actual rating: 3.5*
I've got a review copy through Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
"Freddy steered Major Tom off Eden Street and traveled down the back road that connected to local Route 33, a two-lane highway packed with stoplights, gas stations, fast food and strip malls in a bland montage of Anytown, America."
YA is not a genre I normally read - mainly because I'm not the target audience anymore, but I like to make exceptions every once in a while when something catches my eyes. I've come across The Ghost Hunter's Daughter on Netgalley and as I had a bit of free time on my hands, I requested it - of course I've got a load of books later on... but that's my form. Anyway, I more or less knew what I was getting into with this one, but decided that some lighter read wouldn't hurt after some epic fantasy tomes. All that said, while I enjoyed reading The Ghost Hunter's Daughter, it didn't make me crave to read more YA in the near future.
Our MC is 16 years old Anna, who lives with his father, the paranormal investigator Jack. Who, ever since losing his wife 8 years ago had become a hoarder. One of the things I really appreciated in The Ghost Hunter's Daughter is that it dealt with topics like grief and mental illness - to a point. Anna has no idea how to handle the situation, but then that's not something a 16 year old necessarily has to know anyway. Then again, fighting demons and evil spirits aren't in the average 16 year old's daily routine either.
I have ambivalent feelings toward Anna. On one hand, she has to act like an adult - no wonder, having a parent like Jack - and on the other, she acts like a typical annoying teenager. She has a crush on the most popular guy in school - of course. She also has two friends - surprise, surprise - Freddy and Dor. To make the usual trope complete, they have or don't have crushes on each other, which of course creates tension between the characters. Personally I would have been OK not having this plotline as it didn't really give anything to the story overall. It was cute - or annoying depending on your POV, but nothing more. Her friends being pissed at her for being distant and selfish was much more believable than the teen love drama. As Freddy and Dor had their own very real problems with life and their parents. More focus on that rather than the school perverts would have been benefitial for this story in my opinion.
Thankfully this is was only a sideplot, and not the main focus. Which is, to say, a demon wreaking havoc in the boring town of rural Bloomtown. Jack not being the most reliable figure, it's up to Anna to deal with the chaos and figure out who is behind things. Her only real help is Geneva, her dad's new assistant, inventor, hippie. She kind of reminded me of Phoebe from Friends by her description. With her tool and presence Anna finally can get to the bottom of things.
Now, not many people knows this about me, but I like to watch paranormal investigation shows on TV when I catch them. I can't say I believe in ghosts, spirits, entities or whatever you want to call them, but I'm fascinated by these shows nonetheless. Just because I never had experiences like that, it doesn't mean others' aren't valid. In all honesty, I think this was what really attracted me in The Ghost Hunter's Daughter. I hoped for some cool investigation with spooky events and experiences. Sure, I knew there was teen drama to get with YA, but I hoped it won't be too much.
I probably would have liked more to have a villain with a more interesting motivation/background. Take for example the box Anna uses to get revenge on the school bully - now, that was a nasty piece, and actually I found that spirit or whatever it was more interesting than the actual evil antagonist. Even if it the revelation of who it pretended to be was a nice twist. I expected someone else to be the culprit. And it had some tricks himself as it turned out in the final confrontation.
Okay, I went a bit overly critical here. In all fairness, The Ghost Hunter's Daughter is a solid and entertaining read. Being the debut of Caroline Flarity, I think it has good potential. All in all, it mostly delivered what I expected: a fast paced, sometimes spooky read with a bit of teen drama. If you like ghost hunter stories, evil spirits wreaking havoc in a little town playing mindgames on people, with teen angst and love drama on the side, then I'm sure you will enjoy The Ghost Hunter's Daughter.
April 19, 2019
While The Ghost Hunter’s Daughter isn’t the most literary book, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have fun because dammit, this book is a lot of fun! I have a soft spot for kind of hokey supernatural young adult fiction, and Caroline Flarity’s novel here satisfies that soft spot. Parts of it are very well written, and parts move a little too slowly, but it’s a quick read. And like I said, it’s a fun time, and how can I be mad at that?
August 3, 2019
3.5 stars.
It was okay but I was expecting more out of it since it started off great. I was expecting there to be more investigations but the book was more focused on the characters' emotions and psychology. The writing style was good but I found the nicknames for stuff to be a bit on the cringey side. But then again it was in the point of view of a high school student.
Now the story is about a girl named Anna and she's the daughter of a ghost hunter who, after his wife died, has a very serious case of hoarding. She's being mocked in school about her father's job and she started being embarrassed to be seen with him. But of course weird things started to happen and she's thrown in the middle of it and is the only one who figures out and solves the paranormal mystery in the end with some help. So in the end, she doesn't care what people thinks and starts liking being a ghost hunter.
What I liked about the book is the character development of Anna. In the beginning she is a bit unlikable (at least to me, she was) but becomes better in the end. Freddy and Geneva are my faves. I like nerdy characters.
I also love what the author incorporated into the paranormal activity that was happening in town. I found it to be unique.
The descriptions in the story is really good but from the very beginning towards close to the end, things just keep on spiralling down without any uplift. I found it to be somewhat exhausting. The ending was the only happy moment in the book with very minimal tiny happiness placed here and there.
TW for some pedophilia, and bullying. Also a sicko with dark and sick perversions.
Thank you Netgalley for providing an ARC for an honest review.
It was okay but I was expecting more out of it since it started off great. I was expecting there to be more investigations but the book was more focused on the characters' emotions and psychology. The writing style was good but I found the nicknames for stuff to be a bit on the cringey side. But then again it was in the point of view of a high school student.
Now the story is about a girl named Anna and she's the daughter of a ghost hunter who, after his wife died, has a very serious case of hoarding. She's being mocked in school about her father's job and she started being embarrassed to be seen with him. But of course weird things started to happen and she's thrown in the middle of it and is the only one who figures out and solves the paranormal mystery in the end with some help. So in the end, she doesn't care what people thinks and starts liking being a ghost hunter.
What I liked about the book is the character development of Anna. In the beginning she is a bit unlikable (at least to me, she was) but becomes better in the end. Freddy and Geneva are my faves. I like nerdy characters.
I also love what the author incorporated into the paranormal activity that was happening in town. I found it to be unique.
The descriptions in the story is really good but from the very beginning towards close to the end, things just keep on spiralling down without any uplift. I found it to be somewhat exhausting. The ending was the only happy moment in the book with very minimal tiny happiness placed here and there.
TW for some pedophilia, and bullying. Also a sicko with dark and sick perversions.
Thank you Netgalley for providing an ARC for an honest review.
July 7, 2019
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Ghost Hunter's Daughter by Caroline Flarity was a lot of creepy fun. I'm a massive fan of Supernatural and the like so this sounded like could be right up my alley. It has a lot to like when it comes to the thrills and the ghostly action. Unfortunately, though, it didn't quite live up to my high expectations when it came to the character and pacing department. Our main character was kind of aggravating if you ask me and there were times when the pacing slowed down way to much in comparison to the rest of the novel. Overall, this novel was good and there's a bunch of potential but it never quite lived up to it all. If you have a soft spot for YA urban fantasy, horror, or paranormal, you may enjoy picking this up.
The Ghost Hunter's Daughter by Caroline Flarity was a lot of creepy fun. I'm a massive fan of Supernatural and the like so this sounded like could be right up my alley. It has a lot to like when it comes to the thrills and the ghostly action. Unfortunately, though, it didn't quite live up to my high expectations when it came to the character and pacing department. Our main character was kind of aggravating if you ask me and there were times when the pacing slowed down way to much in comparison to the rest of the novel. Overall, this novel was good and there's a bunch of potential but it never quite lived up to it all. If you have a soft spot for YA urban fantasy, horror, or paranormal, you may enjoy picking this up.
April 30, 2019
For a teen\YA novel this story dives into dark subject matter that might not be for teens. The book will suck readers in with it twisted tail of mystery and understanding of one self.
The Ghost Hunters Daughter is length, speed, and darkness for the subject matter ad audience who are looking to read this book.
As a debut novels Caroline Flarity will have readers needing more as soon as they put down her book.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher East Side Press for the advance copy of Caroline Flarity The Ghost Hunter's Daughter.
The Ghost Hunters Daughter is length, speed, and darkness for the subject matter ad audience who are looking to read this book.
As a debut novels Caroline Flarity will have readers needing more as soon as they put down her book.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher East Side Press for the advance copy of Caroline Flarity The Ghost Hunter's Daughter.
April 21, 2019
Thank you so much to Netgalley for this ARC! As an avid fan of Buffy, Supernatural, and The X-Files, I was immediately drawn to this story of ghosts, demons, and the heroes that hunt them. It was a thrill ride to say the least; Sunnydale's Hellmouth on CRACK!
We dive into Anna's life, which is as messy and rotten as the house she lives in. Her mom killed herself because of a demon that had possessed her, and her dad was never the same after. I loved the exploration into his grief, which manifested itself in his hoarding. It gets worse as worse as the story reaches its climax, and it's heartbreaking to actually see the physical sign of his pain. He's unable to let anything go, including the memory of his late wife.
Anna has her own problems outside of this, though. She is constantly bullied at school for being the daughter of a ghost hunter. Nicknamed Goblin Girl, kids are either scared of her, disgusted by her, or turned on by her. None of this is wanted attention, and so she seeks affection from a boy in a band who could care less about her. She finds her only other solace in her two friends, Dor and Freddy.
Things start to go sideways, and Anna is plagued with nightmares, headaches, and violent thoughts. She sees people she's been surrounded by her whole life turn nasty or sullen, and she knows something supernatural has to be to blame. By tapping into her genetic connection to the Source (the metaphorical light at the end of the tunnel), she uncovers the truth of her diseased and demon-infested town, and begins a journey to not only save her town, but to finally figure out who she is.
The thing I loved most about this narrative was the supernatural lore. It was interesting and compelling, and unlike anything I've ever read before. There was a myriad of beings: shadow people, Tricksters, demons-- all who had their own time to shine and it never felt like there was too much being crammed into one story. They all had their own specific purpose and I was left feeling like I had just finished watching a season of one of my favorite supernatural shows. It was a rollercoaster ride of thrills, chills, and despair, and I loved every second!
We dive into Anna's life, which is as messy and rotten as the house she lives in. Her mom killed herself because of a demon that had possessed her, and her dad was never the same after. I loved the exploration into his grief, which manifested itself in his hoarding. It gets worse as worse as the story reaches its climax, and it's heartbreaking to actually see the physical sign of his pain. He's unable to let anything go, including the memory of his late wife.
Anna has her own problems outside of this, though. She is constantly bullied at school for being the daughter of a ghost hunter. Nicknamed Goblin Girl, kids are either scared of her, disgusted by her, or turned on by her. None of this is wanted attention, and so she seeks affection from a boy in a band who could care less about her. She finds her only other solace in her two friends, Dor and Freddy.
Things start to go sideways, and Anna is plagued with nightmares, headaches, and violent thoughts. She sees people she's been surrounded by her whole life turn nasty or sullen, and she knows something supernatural has to be to blame. By tapping into her genetic connection to the Source (the metaphorical light at the end of the tunnel), she uncovers the truth of her diseased and demon-infested town, and begins a journey to not only save her town, but to finally figure out who she is.
The thing I loved most about this narrative was the supernatural lore. It was interesting and compelling, and unlike anything I've ever read before. There was a myriad of beings: shadow people, Tricksters, demons-- all who had their own time to shine and it never felt like there was too much being crammed into one story. They all had their own specific purpose and I was left feeling like I had just finished watching a season of one of my favorite supernatural shows. It was a rollercoaster ride of thrills, chills, and despair, and I loved every second!
May 4, 2019
I did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. The Ghosthunter’s Daughter exceeded my expectations in terms of the magic system, proved me wrong when I thought I knew what was really going on in the plot, and Flarity earned my respect and kudos for realistically including mental health and societal issues.
Anna is tough and opinionated and the narrative is very witty at times. Although her mother’s possession by a demon, her subsequent death, and the fact that Anna can never escape the stigma of her father’s work as a paranormal investigator have hardened her, Anna is believable and I liked her most of the time. The high school Anna and her two best friends, Freddy and Doreen, attend is mean. These kids, and certain teachers, are the type that makes headlines for bullying and sexual assault. The people at school were scarier than the Trickster spirits and Shadow Men that Anna deals with on a semi-regular basis.
Many aspects of the magic system are familiar, such as the use of salt and holy water as supernatural pest prevention. I liked that Anna and her father had to cleanse spirits in accordance to the entity’s own spiritual beliefs, but the best part was the incorporation of a scientific element through Electromagnetic Fields, their effects, and the ways paranormal beings can manipulate them. It’s also refreshing to have characters admit that they don’t know everything, and that there’s no way to find the answers to questions like where demons come from. However, I did find it odd that Jack had to buy holy water when he might’ve been able to get it from a priest instead.
The Ghosthunter’s Daughter also highlights mental health issues through various different characters. Jack’s hoarding is…wow. When Anna went into the basement, I was stunned. As funny as Anna’s bitterly sarcastic jokes about Jack’s Crap are, Flarity still conveys the desperation and compulsivity of Jack’s hoarding with heart-breaking clarity. It’s also damn good to read a book that raises the topic of the negative psychological effects of pornography.
The overall sense of realism in The Ghosthunter’s Daughter, good pacing, and intriguing plot made this a tough novel to put down. I highly recommend it.
Book provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Anna is tough and opinionated and the narrative is very witty at times. Although her mother’s possession by a demon, her subsequent death, and the fact that Anna can never escape the stigma of her father’s work as a paranormal investigator have hardened her, Anna is believable and I liked her most of the time. The high school Anna and her two best friends, Freddy and Doreen, attend is mean. These kids, and certain teachers, are the type that makes headlines for bullying and sexual assault. The people at school were scarier than the Trickster spirits and Shadow Men that Anna deals with on a semi-regular basis.
Many aspects of the magic system are familiar, such as the use of salt and holy water as supernatural pest prevention. I liked that Anna and her father had to cleanse spirits in accordance to the entity’s own spiritual beliefs, but the best part was the incorporation of a scientific element through Electromagnetic Fields, their effects, and the ways paranormal beings can manipulate them. It’s also refreshing to have characters admit that they don’t know everything, and that there’s no way to find the answers to questions like where demons come from. However, I did find it odd that Jack had to buy holy water when he might’ve been able to get it from a priest instead.
The Ghosthunter’s Daughter also highlights mental health issues through various different characters. Jack’s hoarding is…wow. When Anna went into the basement, I was stunned. As funny as Anna’s bitterly sarcastic jokes about Jack’s Crap are, Flarity still conveys the desperation and compulsivity of Jack’s hoarding with heart-breaking clarity. It’s also damn good to read a book that raises the topic of the negative psychological effects of pornography.
The overall sense of realism in The Ghosthunter’s Daughter, good pacing, and intriguing plot made this a tough novel to put down. I highly recommend it.
Book provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
May 8, 2019
As someone who grew up with Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Supernatural I was quite excited for this read. Needless to say it lived up to my expectations and was quite the rollercoaster!
Our main character is Anna, who's life has been turned upside down because of the supernatural. Her mom who was possessed by a demon, in a moment of clarity killed herself to save Anna and her Dad. Anna's Dad has not been the same since, his grief has become out of control and manifests through hoarding. As the story intensifies her Dad issues get worse, and it's not only her Dad who is having problems it seems like the whole town is under a negative spell.
Anna is dealing with other things too, she's constantly bullied because of her father's job as well as other petty teenage reasons.
Things quickly start going badly and there's a nice surprise twist that wraps up the book quite nicely!
I really liked the supernatural elements and lore within the story.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with a copy of this for an honest review! :)
Our main character is Anna, who's life has been turned upside down because of the supernatural. Her mom who was possessed by a demon, in a moment of clarity killed herself to save Anna and her Dad. Anna's Dad has not been the same since, his grief has become out of control and manifests through hoarding. As the story intensifies her Dad issues get worse, and it's not only her Dad who is having problems it seems like the whole town is under a negative spell.
Anna is dealing with other things too, she's constantly bullied because of her father's job as well as other petty teenage reasons.
Things quickly start going badly and there's a nice surprise twist that wraps up the book quite nicely!
I really liked the supernatural elements and lore within the story.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with a copy of this for an honest review! :)
April 23, 2019
I received a free copy of THE GHOST HUNTER’S DAUGHTER by Caroline Flarity, through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. Anna Fagan is a social outcast with only two close friends. Anna, who witnessed her mother’s murder, has more problems than her high school classmates calling her “Goblin Girl.” Though Anna’s dad is a famous ghost hunter celebrated for his innovations in the field, he’s a wreck in private; his hoarding’s spilling out of the house and onto the lawn. However, when the high school hijinks turn even crueler than usual, Anna begins to suspect there’s a larger problem than teenagers being teenagers. Can Anna figure out what’s going on before she loses her two friends, what’s left of her family, and her self-respect, or will Anna become a victim of her own dark impulses?
This was an interesting book. It was pretty dark. Anna is damaged from her past and lives in a pretty grim environment with no support from her remaining parent. Moreover, Anna has to face the derision and abuse of her classmates on daily basis. Anna’s entire world is already so dark, she’s the only one to notice when the little remaining light begins to disappear. In trying to save her town, she manages to save herself.
This was an interesting book. It was pretty dark. Anna is damaged from her past and lives in a pretty grim environment with no support from her remaining parent. Moreover, Anna has to face the derision and abuse of her classmates on daily basis. Anna’s entire world is already so dark, she’s the only one to notice when the little remaining light begins to disappear. In trying to save her town, she manages to save herself.
May 4, 2019
Disclaimer: Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
I am so grateful to NetGalley and the Publishers, East Side Press, for giving me a copy of The Ghost Hunter's Daughter by Caroline Flarity.
Firstly, I would like to put a Trigger Warning because there are some scenes that could be upsetting to some viewers including: Minor self-harm, extreme thoughts of suicide, sexual assault (groped) on a minor - this last one isn't overly graphic and is a memory that a character has from years prior.
I was really exited to read this book, I love the cover - it is creepy and intriguing at the same time and also ties in slightly to the plot line itself. This book follows Anna whilst she tries to live a mundane teenage life, something that is made extremely difficult by her father who has his own paranormal business. She is called Goblin Girl by her peers at school, but thankfully she has two close friends, Dor and Freddy.
I did have a small love-hate relationship with Anna and her personality, on one side I can see that she acts exactly how she should for her age - but on the other side, I wanted to shake some sense into her. However, this part got smaller and smaller as I got closer to the end as the plot unfolds completely and you realize that not everything is as it seemed!
The plot was amazing and kept me engaged and wanting to know what happened next, the plot is intriguing and the background characters were 'fleshed out' so it felt like they actually added something to the plot rather than just there. I loved the plot arc towards the end which some people may have seen coming, but I personally didn't see the major plot twist coming.
However, one of my favourite character arcs was Anna's, I suppose it's not a character arc as such and more of a 'cleasning'. But some of the sexist behaviour that she is subjected to had me shouting at my kindle, especially from the more senior members of society. But, she definitely redeemed her self from some of her more silly decisions at the end, with a strong AF approach to being your best self.
I am so grateful to NetGalley and the Publishers, East Side Press, for giving me a copy of The Ghost Hunter's Daughter by Caroline Flarity.
Firstly, I would like to put a Trigger Warning because there are some scenes that could be upsetting to some viewers including: Minor self-harm, extreme thoughts of suicide, sexual assault (groped) on a minor - this last one isn't overly graphic and is a memory that a character has from years prior.
I was really exited to read this book, I love the cover - it is creepy and intriguing at the same time and also ties in slightly to the plot line itself. This book follows Anna whilst she tries to live a mundane teenage life, something that is made extremely difficult by her father who has his own paranormal business. She is called Goblin Girl by her peers at school, but thankfully she has two close friends, Dor and Freddy.
I did have a small love-hate relationship with Anna and her personality, on one side I can see that she acts exactly how she should for her age - but on the other side, I wanted to shake some sense into her. However, this part got smaller and smaller as I got closer to the end as the plot unfolds completely and you realize that not everything is as it seemed!
The plot was amazing and kept me engaged and wanting to know what happened next, the plot is intriguing and the background characters were 'fleshed out' so it felt like they actually added something to the plot rather than just there. I loved the plot arc towards the end which some people may have seen coming, but I personally didn't see the major plot twist coming.
However, one of my favourite character arcs was Anna's, I suppose it's not a character arc as such and more of a 'cleasning'. But some of the sexist behaviour that she is subjected to had me shouting at my kindle, especially from the more senior members of society. But, she definitely redeemed her self from some of her more silly decisions at the end, with a strong AF approach to being your best self.
October 3, 2019
I'm not much of a horror reader because I don't like gore, but I've been branching out lately. I figured a YA horror would be a little more "safe" for me, and I was not prepared for the intricate layers in this beautiful book.
Anna (aka "Goblin Girl") is the daughter of a paranormal investigator who kind of made me think of Sam and Dean's dad in Supernatural if he hadn't been as awesome. I didn't *like* Anna much, but part of that may have been due to the events going on in their little town of GenericSmalltownName. I feel like she had some good personal growth by the end of the book, and having a likeable main character seems to matter less to me in this genre than it does when I read romance, so it didn't really affect my rating. But she's kind of a jerk to her friends, and that dynamic was more believe to me than the quasi-love triangle going on. I had to keep reminding myself that she's 16, haha.
I love that Caroline Flarity kept me guessing about what was causing all the hoopla and craziness. The Ghost Hunter's Daughter has a lot of fun twists and turns, and is creepy without being TOO scary. Basically it's the perfect Halloween read and a fun way for the non-horror read to dip their toes into the genre.
An ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review. All opinions are unbiased and my own.
Like this review?
Check out more of my reviews on my blog, Elley the Book Otter
Anna (aka "Goblin Girl") is the daughter of a paranormal investigator who kind of made me think of Sam and Dean's dad in Supernatural if he hadn't been as awesome. I didn't *like* Anna much, but part of that may have been due to the events going on in their little town of GenericSmalltownName. I feel like she had some good personal growth by the end of the book, and having a likeable main character seems to matter less to me in this genre than it does when I read romance, so it didn't really affect my rating. But she's kind of a jerk to her friends, and that dynamic was more believe to me than the quasi-love triangle going on. I had to keep reminding myself that she's 16, haha.
I love that Caroline Flarity kept me guessing about what was causing all the hoopla and craziness. The Ghost Hunter's Daughter has a lot of fun twists and turns, and is creepy without being TOO scary. Basically it's the perfect Halloween read and a fun way for the non-horror read to dip their toes into the genre.
An ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review. All opinions are unbiased and my own.
Like this review?
Check out more of my reviews on my blog, Elley the Book Otter
July 7, 2019
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book!
This was dark and unexpectedly gritty! It has actually been on my radar for a while, but somehow I just never got around to reading it until now. I've read loads of ghost YA novels, but this one stood out for the general darkness, cast of unpopular but likable characters, and a very unusual plot that had me hooked. I had to know how the darkness was spreading, and the eventual reveal was really good and very clever. The writing is good too, although the plot kind of plods along in the beginning. Once you're hooked it's game over though!
If you're in the mood for YA that is a little different, then give this a go. Not your average ghost story! Four stars.
This was dark and unexpectedly gritty! It has actually been on my radar for a while, but somehow I just never got around to reading it until now. I've read loads of ghost YA novels, but this one stood out for the general darkness, cast of unpopular but likable characters, and a very unusual plot that had me hooked. I had to know how the darkness was spreading, and the eventual reveal was really good and very clever. The writing is good too, although the plot kind of plods along in the beginning. Once you're hooked it's game over though!
If you're in the mood for YA that is a little different, then give this a go. Not your average ghost story! Four stars.
May 8, 2019
Paranormal Thriller!
This is the amazing tale of young Anna Fagan who has a massive crush on the cutest guy in school, is constantly bullied at school and has two best friends, Frank and Dora who would do anything for her. But then we learn that her father is a paranormal investigator and hoarder. As a family they deal with "Tricksters" "Source" "Electromagnetic Holes" and "Spirits". Her father has a new colleague, Geneva, who knows even more about the supernatural and together with Anna, they realize the town has an evil parasite upsetting the balance in everyone in town. It's up to Anna to step up to help her father, her best friends and the entire town.
This story is so well researched. I learned a lot about the paranormal and am inspired to read more on this topic.
I recommend this book with enthusiasm!
This is the amazing tale of young Anna Fagan who has a massive crush on the cutest guy in school, is constantly bullied at school and has two best friends, Frank and Dora who would do anything for her. But then we learn that her father is a paranormal investigator and hoarder. As a family they deal with "Tricksters" "Source" "Electromagnetic Holes" and "Spirits". Her father has a new colleague, Geneva, who knows even more about the supernatural and together with Anna, they realize the town has an evil parasite upsetting the balance in everyone in town. It's up to Anna to step up to help her father, her best friends and the entire town.
This story is so well researched. I learned a lot about the paranormal and am inspired to read more on this topic.
I recommend this book with enthusiasm!
May 17, 2019
A very good novel, well written and entertaining.
It's a good mix of YA, fantasy and horror with some very creepy moments.
I liked the characters, the plot and the setting.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
It's a good mix of YA, fantasy and horror with some very creepy moments.
I liked the characters, the plot and the setting.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
May 25, 2019
Spooky & Wonderful!
What drew me in for this book was the cover. It was creepy and interesting and I have to say that the book didn’t disappoint at all. This one really reminded me of mashed up episode of Supernatural, The Conjuring, and Mean Girls with Hoarders tossed in for good measure. And I have to say that IT WORKED!! I have have been in the pahanmoral field for over 20 years and I have to say that this author did a very good job with the ghosty demon aspect of this story. I felt like she did justice to those who cleanse objects etc. And I loved every second of it.
The characters in this one were great. I loved Anna and really enjoyed that she was just a normal teenager. She had her faults and well she acted her age! How many young adult novels can say that? I know that I have seen some people say that this reads for younger teens and I would have to disagree. Her being 16 in this she sounded just right. I know that my 14 almost 15 year old acts a lot like Anna in some aspects. And over the course of the story she grows and learns that its ok to make mistakes. And its also ok to just let things go. Because in the end no one can make you feel bad unless you let them. Her friends were perfect for this story as well. I do wish we would have gotten a little more romance in this one but I could see that happening in a book two. Her dad although a hoarder was also great. He was understanding for the most part and his new partner was so adorable!! I love her so much!!
I think that I would love to see a book two that centers around the house being cleaned up. Her dad going forward with healing after his wife's death. And some romance blooming between some characters. As well as maybe then going on the hunt to start ridding the world of bad spirits etc. Esp. with how this one ended with Anna having a certain connection.
Go Into This One Knowing: Bullies, Pedophile (old teacher), Ghosts, Death of a Parent, No Cliffhanger
What drew me in for this book was the cover. It was creepy and interesting and I have to say that the book didn’t disappoint at all. This one really reminded me of mashed up episode of Supernatural, The Conjuring, and Mean Girls with Hoarders tossed in for good measure. And I have to say that IT WORKED!! I have have been in the pahanmoral field for over 20 years and I have to say that this author did a very good job with the ghosty demon aspect of this story. I felt like she did justice to those who cleanse objects etc. And I loved every second of it.
The characters in this one were great. I loved Anna and really enjoyed that she was just a normal teenager. She had her faults and well she acted her age! How many young adult novels can say that? I know that I have seen some people say that this reads for younger teens and I would have to disagree. Her being 16 in this she sounded just right. I know that my 14 almost 15 year old acts a lot like Anna in some aspects. And over the course of the story she grows and learns that its ok to make mistakes. And its also ok to just let things go. Because in the end no one can make you feel bad unless you let them. Her friends were perfect for this story as well. I do wish we would have gotten a little more romance in this one but I could see that happening in a book two. Her dad although a hoarder was also great. He was understanding for the most part and his new partner was so adorable!! I love her so much!!
I think that I would love to see a book two that centers around the house being cleaned up. Her dad going forward with healing after his wife's death. And some romance blooming between some characters. As well as maybe then going on the hunt to start ridding the world of bad spirits etc. Esp. with how this one ended with Anna having a certain connection.
Go Into This One Knowing: Bullies, Pedophile (old teacher), Ghosts, Death of a Parent, No Cliffhanger
June 6, 2019
I am a big fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Supernatural - growing up I was obsessed with demons and vampires and ghosts. In fact, I wrote my dissertation on family relationships in vampire literature (before Twilight became a huge deal...) and so reading the synopsis of this book made me super excited and I requested it straight away. Netgalley was kind enough to supply m,e with a copy and I got stuck in.
This book starts by introducing us to Anna, who is stuck in a messy life and a messy house. her mother killed herself because a demon possessed her and her dad was never the same after this. Anna has her own problems, however. She is bullied at school for being the daughter of a Ghost Hunter. The kids are mostly scared of her... although some find it a turn on. Anna finds herself plagued by nightmares and scary violent thoughts and she begins to uncover the secrets of her Hell-Mouth style town.
I just loved this book so much. It reminded me of everything I loved as a teenager and i especially loved the supernatural beings and lore which played a huge part of the story. Great book, I totally recommend this being picked up and checked out.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book starts by introducing us to Anna, who is stuck in a messy life and a messy house. her mother killed herself because a demon possessed her and her dad was never the same after this. Anna has her own problems, however. She is bullied at school for being the daughter of a Ghost Hunter. The kids are mostly scared of her... although some find it a turn on. Anna finds herself plagued by nightmares and scary violent thoughts and she begins to uncover the secrets of her Hell-Mouth style town.
I just loved this book so much. It reminded me of everything I loved as a teenager and i especially loved the supernatural beings and lore which played a huge part of the story. Great book, I totally recommend this being picked up and checked out.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 7, 2019
~ I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ~
Being a horror nerd means any blurb that uses the words ‘demon’ and ‘haunted’ hypes me up, so I was thrilled to get my hands on a copy of this book. However, whilst it was an enjoyable read I wouldn’t say I was in love, there were just too many things that irked me overall.
Characters unfortunately fell a little flat for me; prior to starting I was under the impression that the protagonist would be some sort of badass ghost hunter, but what I got was a naïve, annoyingly angsty teen who prioritised a boy over pretty much everything. Anna chose to ignore painfully obvious things in favour of earning her crushes attention, so much so that it made me really dislike her. Additionally, her friends didn’t really feature much at all within the story, therefore I never got a chance to connect with them and ultimately, they felt unneeded. Lacklustre characters are a real turn-off for me.
Often, I found myself confused by events or narrative, in particular towards the end; the confrontation scene against the demon seemed messy and unclear. Consequently, I skimmed what should be considered the most action-packed and crucial section of the novel. Throughout I frequently questioned whether Anna was possessed as some of her thoughts lead me to believe that something was off, but this wasn’t the case which was disappointing as that could have been a particularly interesting plot-twist. Who doesn’t want to read from an evil demons’ perspective?
Although obviously I have my personal issues in regard to the story, as a whole it was entertaining. There were moments of humour and even times of female empowerment, but these should have been pushed further because they were quite minor. If they had been more constant/frequent there might have been more depth to the narrative, and perhaps I would have actually liked the characters.
Being a horror nerd means any blurb that uses the words ‘demon’ and ‘haunted’ hypes me up, so I was thrilled to get my hands on a copy of this book. However, whilst it was an enjoyable read I wouldn’t say I was in love, there were just too many things that irked me overall.
Characters unfortunately fell a little flat for me; prior to starting I was under the impression that the protagonist would be some sort of badass ghost hunter, but what I got was a naïve, annoyingly angsty teen who prioritised a boy over pretty much everything. Anna chose to ignore painfully obvious things in favour of earning her crushes attention, so much so that it made me really dislike her. Additionally, her friends didn’t really feature much at all within the story, therefore I never got a chance to connect with them and ultimately, they felt unneeded. Lacklustre characters are a real turn-off for me.
Often, I found myself confused by events or narrative, in particular towards the end; the confrontation scene against the demon seemed messy and unclear. Consequently, I skimmed what should be considered the most action-packed and crucial section of the novel. Throughout I frequently questioned whether Anna was possessed as some of her thoughts lead me to believe that something was off, but this wasn’t the case which was disappointing as that could have been a particularly interesting plot-twist. Who doesn’t want to read from an evil demons’ perspective?
Although obviously I have my personal issues in regard to the story, as a whole it was entertaining. There were moments of humour and even times of female empowerment, but these should have been pushed further because they were quite minor. If they had been more constant/frequent there might have been more depth to the narrative, and perhaps I would have actually liked the characters.
September 15, 2019
Touted as "Supernatural meets Mean Girls." I'm not sure if
The Ghost Hunter's Daughter
meets my expectations on Supernatural, but it definitely delivers on the part of Mean Girls!
The Ghost Hunter's Daughter is about Anna, who's struggling with high school, best friends, her crazy father, and of course, exorcising the evil spirits slowly oppressing her town.
This was so much fun to read. I found that especially in the beginning half of the book, I was caught off-guard so many times with an unexpected laugh. It does get surprisingly dark in the latter half, pulling back on humor, but dark is always pleasant to see! My only gripe is that I felt the book more focused on bullying & high school drama rather than exorcisms, but otherwise it's all in good fun if you're looking for a quick spooky read!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me a copy in exchange for a fair review.
The Ghost Hunter's Daughter is about Anna, who's struggling with high school, best friends, her crazy father, and of course, exorcising the evil spirits slowly oppressing her town.
This was so much fun to read. I found that especially in the beginning half of the book, I was caught off-guard so many times with an unexpected laugh. It does get surprisingly dark in the latter half, pulling back on humor, but dark is always pleasant to see! My only gripe is that I felt the book more focused on bullying & high school drama rather than exorcisms, but otherwise it's all in good fun if you're looking for a quick spooky read!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me a copy in exchange for a fair review.
June 13, 2019
This book was given to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
This debut novel follows the main character Anna as she tries to save her home of Bloomtown from a sinister evil. As the story progresses so to does the chaos as the people in the town are affected by the supernatural being. Manifesting itself as anger, fear, sadness and lust, the evil draws out the worst of humanity and magnifies it. Anna must figure out how to save everyone she loves from the darkest part of themselves and destroy the monster that is plaguing them.
Overall Impressions:
I went into this book with little knowledge and expectations except that it was a supernatural read. I love ghost and horror stories, so I was looking forward to it.
Overall this story was great. I enjoyed reading it, stayed invested in the story and felt the story had good flow, albeit a little slow in the beginning. It had a strong and interesting plot, generally nice voice and style of writing and a strong conclusion. The main downfalls for me were the characters which were sometimes hard to engage with. This was to do with Anna in particular.
Although there were paranormal influences at play, it was hard to ignore that she was simply unlikeable, and her disinterest in her friends and the people around her made it difficult to connect with other characters also. However, this did leave room for a character arc and change towards the end of the novel.
I really enjoyed the tone of the novel, even though it was perhaps not as creepy as I had hoped. One of the creepiest moments of the books was when Anna looked up and saw the demon perched above the ceiling fan (*chills!). But overall, aside from a few moments, this story wasn’t incredibly scary, not in its supernatural elements anyway.
As this evil-being takes over the town and gets inside everyone’s head, we watch the characters’ steady descent into madness and insanity. It's dark and creepy in its slow progression and gives the readers slow inklings that something isn’t quite right.
We see characters inch further into depression and madness. At times it was saddening, at others disturbing. This story delved into many serious issues, from mental health, body image, abuse, sexual assault, bullying, grief and death. Even though these topics are sensitive ones I felt Caroline Flarity dealt with them incredibly well and did them justice, giving them attention but also necessarily condemning them.
Climax and Conclusion:
The POV is first-person limited. This allowed for surprising revelations as the story progressed. The plot twists were my favourite moments in the book. They were unexpected but not totally out of the blue, with appropriate foreshadowing that maintained the flow and believability of the story.
This led to an exciting and high stakes climax that felt like a proper conclusion.
The ending was satisfying and tied up everything neatly. The character arcs were really strong and their development across the story evident. Though there were moments throughout the story where I felt frustrated, everything came together and ended the way I had hoped.
Final Opinion:
This novel is certainly subject to some of the downfalls of first-time writers. However, overall The Ghost Hunter’s Daughter is a fantastic debut by a promising up-and-coming YA author and I highly recommend!
Link to my review on Amino: http://aminoapps.com/p/f2zsr5
Summary:
This debut novel follows the main character Anna as she tries to save her home of Bloomtown from a sinister evil. As the story progresses so to does the chaos as the people in the town are affected by the supernatural being. Manifesting itself as anger, fear, sadness and lust, the evil draws out the worst of humanity and magnifies it. Anna must figure out how to save everyone she loves from the darkest part of themselves and destroy the monster that is plaguing them.
Overall Impressions:
I went into this book with little knowledge and expectations except that it was a supernatural read. I love ghost and horror stories, so I was looking forward to it.
Overall this story was great. I enjoyed reading it, stayed invested in the story and felt the story had good flow, albeit a little slow in the beginning. It had a strong and interesting plot, generally nice voice and style of writing and a strong conclusion. The main downfalls for me were the characters which were sometimes hard to engage with. This was to do with Anna in particular.
Although there were paranormal influences at play, it was hard to ignore that she was simply unlikeable, and her disinterest in her friends and the people around her made it difficult to connect with other characters also. However, this did leave room for a character arc and change towards the end of the novel.
I really enjoyed the tone of the novel, even though it was perhaps not as creepy as I had hoped. One of the creepiest moments of the books was when Anna looked up and saw the demon perched above the ceiling fan (*chills!). But overall, aside from a few moments, this story wasn’t incredibly scary, not in its supernatural elements anyway.
As this evil-being takes over the town and gets inside everyone’s head, we watch the characters’ steady descent into madness and insanity. It's dark and creepy in its slow progression and gives the readers slow inklings that something isn’t quite right.
We see characters inch further into depression and madness. At times it was saddening, at others disturbing. This story delved into many serious issues, from mental health, body image, abuse, sexual assault, bullying, grief and death. Even though these topics are sensitive ones I felt Caroline Flarity dealt with them incredibly well and did them justice, giving them attention but also necessarily condemning them.
Climax and Conclusion:
The POV is first-person limited. This allowed for surprising revelations as the story progressed. The plot twists were my favourite moments in the book. They were unexpected but not totally out of the blue, with appropriate foreshadowing that maintained the flow and believability of the story.
This led to an exciting and high stakes climax that felt like a proper conclusion.
The ending was satisfying and tied up everything neatly. The character arcs were really strong and their development across the story evident. Though there were moments throughout the story where I felt frustrated, everything came together and ended the way I had hoped.
Final Opinion:
This novel is certainly subject to some of the downfalls of first-time writers. However, overall The Ghost Hunter’s Daughter is a fantastic debut by a promising up-and-coming YA author and I highly recommend!
Link to my review on Amino: http://aminoapps.com/p/f2zsr5
August 11, 2019
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed "The Ghost Hunter's Daughter". I've always been partial to books about ghosts and spooks and such. This book is about about Anna a sixteen year old girl. Her father is the town's freak, a ghostbuster of sorts who can get rid of the spook's who are haunting objects. Anna's mother died when she was younger after being possessed by a demon. This makes Anna a bit of an outcast at school and the kids there call her "Goblin Girl". I thought the book was really interesting and had a good mix of pace, action and character development. The book also goes a little deeper than many similar YA books. The town seems like it is going crazy. Everyone is acting strangely or even more strangely than usual. People are violent. Some are suicidal or turning to self harm. What is happening? Anna, her two best friends, and her dad and his new business assistant Geneva find themselves in the thick of things. Geneva has a new invention that shows evil or ghostly beings or items. Together they begin to unravel the mysteries of the town. The book deals with some topics such as self harm, thoughts of suicide, death, murder, teen bullies and teen exploitation. There are some teachers doing some pervy things. None of these items get involved or too deep. The book does show the good in people and the ability to overcome the negative forces at play in the town. Although this appears to be a stand alone there is enough material here for the author to choose to make more books about Anna and company.
September 28, 2019
The Ghost Hunter's Daughter is a Teen Horror aimed primarily at 15-16 year olds. That being said, I did really enjoy this. It's nice to have a simple easy read sometimes that doesn't require a huge amount of focus to understand what's happening and who's who. What I particularly loved about the book is that there isn't a long drawn out buildup at the beginning. From the first page we are thrown straight in to the paranormal goodness. Our protagonist is a teenage girl who's Father is a Ghost Hunter by profession and we see that she is drawn in to that world with him from a young age. What I found particularly appealing was that the protagonist wasn't a Miss Goody Two Shoes, supermodel protege who is perfect at everything in life. Whenever I read teen/YA my inner teenage frizzy haired, spotty, geeky girl is driven bonkers by the 'chosen one' type trope or the girl that is so good at everything and is incredibly beautiful but just doesn't realise it. So our protagonist being a realistic 'normal' girl who is bullied, has a bit of a crappy life, has real emotions, and makes mistakes is greatly appreciated. Personally, I think we need more of this type of main character in our teen/YA books to teach our kids that they don't have to be perfect to succeed!
Several times in the books we get snippets of text where we gain insights into other characters' thoughts and emotions and I really enjoyed this format to give a more rounded view of the events.
There are trigger warnings for suicide, sexual abuse, mental illness, bullying and self harm but personally I feel that they are quite mild, age appropriate and well written.
Several times in the books we get snippets of text where we gain insights into other characters' thoughts and emotions and I really enjoyed this format to give a more rounded view of the events.
There are trigger warnings for suicide, sexual abuse, mental illness, bullying and self harm but personally I feel that they are quite mild, age appropriate and well written.
May 24, 2019
Sixteen-year-old Anna is having a tough time at school, often known as ‘Zombie Girl’, because she has a prominent scar on her face and a father with a really odd job. He is a type of ghost hunter (or exorcist) and specialises more in ‘cleaning’ haunted objects, rather than ghosts. They struggle to pay the bills and Anna still reflects on the death of her mother eight years earlier and the fact that her soul may be stuck in spiritual limbo and might still be possessed by a demon. I thought this novel cleverly balanced its supernatural story with the normal trials and tribulations of a teenage girl who comes from a weird family. Anna has two good friends she can count on (Freddy and Dor) but has a major crush on a boy from school which plays an important part in the story.
As well as covering stuff like social media shaming, bullying and peer pressure the supernatural angle builds nicely as the plot develops. As Anna is her dad’s assistant she is bullied at school, but at the same time strange stuff does seem to be happening which many people believe is because of a rare solar storm which will light up the night sky. Anna is an engaging character, she is not perfect, makes a lot of wrong decisions, but nobody is perfect and is an engaging lead character who shines when the chips are down. A great combination of school life, teenage angst and a few demons. An excellent read for teenagers aged 13+
As well as covering stuff like social media shaming, bullying and peer pressure the supernatural angle builds nicely as the plot develops. As Anna is her dad’s assistant she is bullied at school, but at the same time strange stuff does seem to be happening which many people believe is because of a rare solar storm which will light up the night sky. Anna is an engaging character, she is not perfect, makes a lot of wrong decisions, but nobody is perfect and is an engaging lead character who shines when the chips are down. A great combination of school life, teenage angst and a few demons. An excellent read for teenagers aged 13+
July 13, 2019
Thank you to NetGalley for advanced copy of this book for review.
The Ghost Hunter’s Daughter by Caroline Flarity is the kind of gritty YA urban fantasy I enjoy. Anna’s relationship with her hoarding paranormal investigator father is complicated and nuanced by love but also resentment and grief. She and her friends aren’t the coolest kids in the school but they love each other and have each other’s backs despite Anna’s crush on the school bad-boy musician. But all heck breaks loose and Anna will need everyone’s help getting to the bottom of the weird stuff going on in her town.
I liked that this wasn’t some kind of cutesy teen romp. If it involves demons and malevolent spirits then to me it should be dark and mean spirited at times. All the characters have lots of layers and they don’t always make the right choices. I think this is a great addition to anyone’s library that likes teenagers, paranormal craziness and holding on to the people you love even when life gets really dark.
The Ghost Hunter’s Daughter by Caroline Flarity is the kind of gritty YA urban fantasy I enjoy. Anna’s relationship with her hoarding paranormal investigator father is complicated and nuanced by love but also resentment and grief. She and her friends aren’t the coolest kids in the school but they love each other and have each other’s backs despite Anna’s crush on the school bad-boy musician. But all heck breaks loose and Anna will need everyone’s help getting to the bottom of the weird stuff going on in her town.
I liked that this wasn’t some kind of cutesy teen romp. If it involves demons and malevolent spirits then to me it should be dark and mean spirited at times. All the characters have lots of layers and they don’t always make the right choices. I think this is a great addition to anyone’s library that likes teenagers, paranormal craziness and holding on to the people you love even when life gets really dark.
April 30, 2019
This is a smart, funny, and truly scary supernatural thriller with the adventure of a teen Ghostbusters combined with the snarky wit of Veronica Mars. Anna Fagan isn’t your usual YA protagonist—she’s not a brilliant student or somehow more special than every other girl in town. She’s a disgruntled, grieving teen, the daughter of a paranormal investigator with a hoarding problem.
When an eerily familiar parasitic evil invades Anna’s hometown—a fictional yet hilariously relatable New Jersey suburb—Anna fears that she will succumb to the evil infecting her and those she loves. With the assistance of Geneva -- a brilliant electrical engineer who has arrived from California to assist Anna and her friends with de-demonizing the town -- Anna learns to access the truth within. This YA thriller has a strong voice, sharp humor, and a budding love story between Anna and Freddy, her nerdy yet surprisingly alluring best friend. It also has a lot of psychological depth and doesn’t shy away from difficult topics like bullying, sexual harassment, and loss.
When an eerily familiar parasitic evil invades Anna’s hometown—a fictional yet hilariously relatable New Jersey suburb—Anna fears that she will succumb to the evil infecting her and those she loves. With the assistance of Geneva -- a brilliant electrical engineer who has arrived from California to assist Anna and her friends with de-demonizing the town -- Anna learns to access the truth within. This YA thriller has a strong voice, sharp humor, and a budding love story between Anna and Freddy, her nerdy yet surprisingly alluring best friend. It also has a lot of psychological depth and doesn’t shy away from difficult topics like bullying, sexual harassment, and loss.
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