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The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker
“Congratulations, new kid. Welcome to the afterlife.”
What if death is only the beginning?
When Harriet Stoker dies after falling from a balcony in a long-abandoned building, she discovers a group of ghosts, each with a special power.
Felix, Kasper, Rima and Leah welcome Harriet into their world, eager to make friends with the new arrival after decades alone. Yet Harriet is more interested in unleashing her own power, even if it means destroying everyone around her. But when all of eternity is at stake, the afterlife can be a dangerous place to make an enemy.
What if death is only the beginning?
When Harriet Stoker dies after falling from a balcony in a long-abandoned building, she discovers a group of ghosts, each with a special power.
Felix, Kasper, Rima and Leah welcome Harriet into their world, eager to make friends with the new arrival after decades alone. Yet Harriet is more interested in unleashing her own power, even if it means destroying everyone around her. But when all of eternity is at stake, the afterlife can be a dangerous place to make an enemy.
425 pages, Paperback
First published September 3, 2020
50 people are currently reading
5463 people want to read
About the author
Lauren James
12 books1,580 followers**This is my old author profile - follow https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1... for ongoing updates!***
Wren James is the Carnegie-longlisted British author of many Young Adult novels as ‘Lauren James’, including Green Rising, The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker and The Loneliest Girl in the Universe. They are a RLF Royal Fellow at Aston University and the story consultant on Netflix’s Heartstopper (Seasons 2 and 3).
Wren is the founder of the Climate Fiction Writers League, editor of the anthology Future Hopes: Hopeful stories in a time of climate change, and a member of the Society of Authors’ Sustainability Committee. They work as a consultant on climate storytelling for museums, production companies, major brands and publishers, with a focus on optimism and hope. They run a Queer Writers group in Coventry.
Their books have sold over two hundred thousand copies worldwide in seven languages. The Quiet at the End of the World was shortlisted for the YA Book Prize and STEAM Children’s Book Award.
Their other novels include The Next Together series, the dyslexia-friendly novella series The Watchmaker and the Duke and serialised online novel An Unauthorised Fan Treatise.
Wren’s writing has been described as ‘gripping romantic sci-fi’ by the Wall Street Journal and ‘a strange, witty, compulsively unpredictable read which blows most of its new YA-suspense brethren out of the water’ by Entertainment Weekly.
Wren was born in 1992, and has a Masters degree from the University of Nottingham, where they studied Chemistry and Physics. They have taught creative writing for Coventry University, WriteMentor, and Writing West Midlands. Their next release is Last Seen Online.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 363 reviews
May 27, 2020
Me every time I finish a new Lauren James book: Wow this is my favourite Lauren James book ever
Seriously- this book is a ride! Wild twisty plot. Murderous ghosts trapped in a university building. Extreme queer pining. Found family fighting for each other. Absolutely loved it!!
Seriously- this book is a ride! Wild twisty plot. Murderous ghosts trapped in a university building. Extreme queer pining. Found family fighting for each other. Absolutely loved it!!
Read
April 7, 2021Eek, this has been shortlisted for the 2021 CrimeFest Award for Best Crime Novel for Young Adults! So over the moon! <3
I hope you enjoy meeting Harriet and my ghost gang! Some extra content:
Planning notebook
Moodboard
Character bios and more
I hope you enjoy meeting Harriet and my ghost gang! Some extra content:
Planning notebook
Moodboard
Character bios and more
Some quotes:
“Harriet Stoker is such a wild ride. Twisty plot, murderous ghosts, found family, slow-burn romance – I was hooked from the very first chapter and could not put this book down. With characters I instantly loved (and some I hated) this book is my favourite Lauren James story.” – Alice Oseman, author of Heartstopper
“Startlingly original, so twisty and clever and tense with wit and humour thrown in too” – Laura Wood, author of A Sky Painted Gold
“Cool nineties ghosts, a complex antiheroine and twists and turns that will have you reeling long after you’ve turned the last page. I LOVED IT!” – Lucy Powrie, author of The Paper & Hearts Society
Cover reveal!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uh0NE...
September 2019
Introducing. . . THE RECKLESS AFTERLIFE OF HARRIET STOKER! Coming out on 3rd September 2020 with Walker Books in the UK and Australia, this is my first ever fantasy novel. It's a big one - it's currently 110,000 words, which is the longest thing I've ever written. It's about a girl who gets in above her head when she tries to become the most powerful ghost in a building of ancient spirits.
The other ghosts happen to be freshers who all died in their halls of residence during their first year of uni, decades earlier. They've spent years bickering, flirting, play-fighting and developing in-jokes with each other in the decrepit and abandoned building where they all died. When Harriet becomes a ghost, she finds them as baffling as they find her modern. She has a lot to learn about life, even after she's died.
I'm so excited for you to meet my nineties ghost gang - Rima, Felix, Kasper and Leah, as well as Leah's young baby Claudia, and Rima's pet fox Cody. If you liked Being Human, Misfits or Crashing by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, then I hope you'll like this book. It's a horrom-com (AKA a genre I just invented, the horror romantic comedy). It's grisly and gory, with an epic romance and quite a few plot twists along the way (would it be a Lauren James book without them?) I've been talking about this project using the code name 'ghost house' since 2016, so it's really odd that it has a title now.
June 17, 2020
The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker is Ghosts meets Killing Eve. Imagine cool 90s ghosts, a complex anti-heroine, and twists and turns that will have you reeling long after you've turned the final page. I loved every second of it.
The biggest problem I had with this book was trying to decide who my favourite character was because I loved them ALL. From Harriet, who treads a dangerous path in her pursuit of power; to Rima and her adorable fox spirit Cody; to Felix who has kept (pretty badly) his decades-long feelings for cool guy but also scaredy-cat Kasper; and of course Leah and baby Claudia, each character was vividly imagined, with rich stories of their own.
Lauren James is one of our best UKYA writers, who never fails to produce a page-turning, exciting and flawlessly crafted novel. The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker is no different; it's a masterpiece.
The biggest problem I had with this book was trying to decide who my favourite character was because I loved them ALL. From Harriet, who treads a dangerous path in her pursuit of power; to Rima and her adorable fox spirit Cody; to Felix who has kept (pretty badly) his decades-long feelings for cool guy but also scaredy-cat Kasper; and of course Leah and baby Claudia, each character was vividly imagined, with rich stories of their own.
Lauren James is one of our best UKYA writers, who never fails to produce a page-turning, exciting and flawlessly crafted novel. The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker is no different; it's a masterpiece.
May 9, 2023
Sadly my least favourite Lauren James novel so far.
Harriet Stoker’s abrupt death in an abandoned building leads her to wake up as a ghost surrounded by other ghosts who have also died here.
I didn’t really like Harriet. Although come to think of it I didn’t really warm to any of the characters.
The way the plot moved went from weird to even weirder.
Once you start bringing in time travelling stuff you start to lose me and this wasn’t really what I thought it was when I went in.
Sigh, onto the next!
Harriet Stoker’s abrupt death in an abandoned building leads her to wake up as a ghost surrounded by other ghosts who have also died here.
I didn’t really like Harriet. Although come to think of it I didn’t really warm to any of the characters.
The way the plot moved went from weird to even weirder.
Once you start bringing in time travelling stuff you start to lose me and this wasn’t really what I thought it was when I went in.
Sigh, onto the next!
October 31, 2020
Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com
Teenager Harriet Stoker enters the abandoned building of Mulcture Hall to take some photos for her university project. She has heard rumours that the place is haunted after numerous students died there a few years ago but it will take more than a few ghosts to stop her from getting the perfect shot.
Unfortunately for Harriet whilst leaning from the upstairs balcony she falls and dies on impact and re-awakens to a world of ghosts and realises she has become one.
She wants to get home to her Grandmother who she lives with and takes care of since her parents died, but she soon finds out that she can’t leave the grounds of Mulcture Hall as the ghosts have to stay where they died or they disintegrate and no-one knows what that means, or where they go when that happens.
She finds herself surrounded by lots of other ghosts including teenagers Kasper, Felix, Rima, and Leah. She is also informed that when you die you each are given special magical powers. Harriet isn’t going to play by the rules though. But just how far is she willing to go to get what she wants and who is she willing to hurt in the process?
The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker is an intriguing take on the afterlife. Author Lauren James has done a fabulous job of making the afterlife sounds so sinister, I mean dying is bad enough but then once your energy runs out you kind of look like you are in a ghost coma and you have to wait for someone else to die to then reawaken you again as you take part of their energy.
The book is told from multiple POV which isn’t my favourite kind of read but the sections from the characters other than Harriet were only quite short in comparison to hers, plus you always knew who was talking. As well as the characters we also have a narrator – possibly death, who had seen Harriet die many years before she did and knew that she was a force to be reckoned with.
The book is filled with supernatural elements, a good vs evil feel, and at times horror. Harriet by no means is a likeable character, she is selfish, self-centred, and bitter but she has been dealt a very cruel life and you can kind of understand where she is coming from. This would make a great read for these early dark nights and for Halloween too. It’s engaging and will give you a lot to think about.
Teenager Harriet Stoker enters the abandoned building of Mulcture Hall to take some photos for her university project. She has heard rumours that the place is haunted after numerous students died there a few years ago but it will take more than a few ghosts to stop her from getting the perfect shot.
Unfortunately for Harriet whilst leaning from the upstairs balcony she falls and dies on impact and re-awakens to a world of ghosts and realises she has become one.
She wants to get home to her Grandmother who she lives with and takes care of since her parents died, but she soon finds out that she can’t leave the grounds of Mulcture Hall as the ghosts have to stay where they died or they disintegrate and no-one knows what that means, or where they go when that happens.
She finds herself surrounded by lots of other ghosts including teenagers Kasper, Felix, Rima, and Leah. She is also informed that when you die you each are given special magical powers. Harriet isn’t going to play by the rules though. But just how far is she willing to go to get what she wants and who is she willing to hurt in the process?
The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker is an intriguing take on the afterlife. Author Lauren James has done a fabulous job of making the afterlife sounds so sinister, I mean dying is bad enough but then once your energy runs out you kind of look like you are in a ghost coma and you have to wait for someone else to die to then reawaken you again as you take part of their energy.
The book is told from multiple POV which isn’t my favourite kind of read but the sections from the characters other than Harriet were only quite short in comparison to hers, plus you always knew who was talking. As well as the characters we also have a narrator – possibly death, who had seen Harriet die many years before she did and knew that she was a force to be reckoned with.
The book is filled with supernatural elements, a good vs evil feel, and at times horror. Harriet by no means is a likeable character, she is selfish, self-centred, and bitter but she has been dealt a very cruel life and you can kind of understand where she is coming from. This would make a great read for these early dark nights and for Halloween too. It’s engaging and will give you a lot to think about.
July 1, 2020
What did I just read? I mean that in a really good way, but... what? I need a moment to collect myself, because this was a wild ride!
Things I loved:
- morally grey MC
- queer pining (like, so much pining!!!)
- found family of ghosts
- ghost baby!
- ghost pet FOX!
- so many ghosts!!
Lauren James is so amazing at writing the most twisty, intriguing books that keep you on the edge of your seat. It was so much fun trying to figure everything out, and there's always this weird sense of pride if you figure out a certain twist before it's revealed (I'm bad at that, okay??). Let's just say there were some really fun twists here. I think it would be best to dive into this book without knowing too much about it.
I have a really hard time reviewing this because for me, how much I enjoyed this book is directly related to if there will be a sequel. Because this book needs one! There are so many loose ends, and I feel like the book ended quite abruptly. I just wanted to find out so much more! I'm just gonna assume there will be a sequel that just hasn't been announced yet!
UPDATE: I was told by the author and the publisher that the initial eARC I read missed the last 20% of the book! So that explains why the "ending" felt so sudden to me, and I thought I'd write a little update so my review reflects the full novel I read. Of course I couldn't pace myself and I dove right back into this book when I found out there was more! Honestly, this ending was so satisfying, and there were even more twists and turns - ones that I really did not see coming. I think this is probably a standalone as the ending it very well-rounded! I already can't wait to reread the full novel once it's released!
Rep: pansexual MC, Black gay MC, questioning bisexual MC, Brown hijabi side character
CWs: death, murder, gore, poisoning, abuse by a family member, past death of parents
Things I loved:
- morally grey MC
- queer pining (like, so much pining!!!)
- found family of ghosts
- ghost baby!
- ghost pet FOX!
- so many ghosts!!
Lauren James is so amazing at writing the most twisty, intriguing books that keep you on the edge of your seat. It was so much fun trying to figure everything out, and there's always this weird sense of pride if you figure out a certain twist before it's revealed (I'm bad at that, okay??). Let's just say there were some really fun twists here. I think it would be best to dive into this book without knowing too much about it.
I have a really hard time reviewing this because for me, how much I enjoyed this book is directly related to if there will be a sequel. Because this book needs one! There are so many loose ends, and I feel like the book ended quite abruptly. I just wanted to find out so much more! I'm just gonna assume there will be a sequel that just hasn't been announced yet!
UPDATE: I was told by the author and the publisher that the initial eARC I read missed the last 20% of the book! So that explains why the "ending" felt so sudden to me, and I thought I'd write a little update so my review reflects the full novel I read. Of course I couldn't pace myself and I dove right back into this book when I found out there was more! Honestly, this ending was so satisfying, and there were even more twists and turns - ones that I really did not see coming. I think this is probably a standalone as the ending it very well-rounded! I already can't wait to reread the full novel once it's released!
Rep: pansexual MC, Black gay MC, questioning bisexual MC, Brown hijabi side character
CWs: death, murder, gore, poisoning, abuse by a family member, past death of parents
August 1, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley for sending me this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book follows the main character, Harriet, from the day she dies, but death is definitely not her end. Trapped with other ghosts in a Uni halls of residence Harriet faces. a number of challenges as she grapples with her past, present and future.
What I Liked:
Plot. Going into this book, I really wasn't sure what to expect. What developed was a unique, thrilling and complex plot line which kept me on the edge of me seat. Although this novel focused heavily on characters and morality the plot was full of twists and turns that made me keep want to keep reading.
Characters. This book focused on an ensemble cast of characters and was written from a number of different viewpoints. All the characters were well developed and nuanced and each bought something different to the story. I particularly enjoyed the sections from the omnipresent point of view, which kept me guessing.
Themes. This book had a strong focus on what it means to be "good" or "bad" and the external forces which influence behaviour. It really made me think about redemption and whether people could/ should be forgiven. Other themes included friendship, what it means to be a family and the complexities of power and its use.
Overall this was another excellent book from Lauren James whose books have been of a consistently high standard. If you have enjoyed any of her other books you should definitely read this. If you haven't read any of her books then I would recommend this a great introduction to her writing. This was a well rounded, engaging read with a great plot, cast, setting and themes .
This book follows the main character, Harriet, from the day she dies, but death is definitely not her end. Trapped with other ghosts in a Uni halls of residence Harriet faces. a number of challenges as she grapples with her past, present and future.
What I Liked:
Plot. Going into this book, I really wasn't sure what to expect. What developed was a unique, thrilling and complex plot line which kept me on the edge of me seat. Although this novel focused heavily on characters and morality the plot was full of twists and turns that made me keep want to keep reading.
Characters. This book focused on an ensemble cast of characters and was written from a number of different viewpoints. All the characters were well developed and nuanced and each bought something different to the story. I particularly enjoyed the sections from the omnipresent point of view, which kept me guessing.
Themes. This book had a strong focus on what it means to be "good" or "bad" and the external forces which influence behaviour. It really made me think about redemption and whether people could/ should be forgiven. Other themes included friendship, what it means to be a family and the complexities of power and its use.
Overall this was another excellent book from Lauren James whose books have been of a consistently high standard. If you have enjoyed any of her other books you should definitely read this. If you haven't read any of her books then I would recommend this a great introduction to her writing. This was a well rounded, engaging read with a great plot, cast, setting and themes .
December 6, 2020
Thank you Walker Books for the review copy. All opinions are my own.
Recommends it for: Fans of The Raven Boys, only because it’s a group of friends. Eh, I don’t read ghost stories ay, that has to change. This isn’t a horror (as far as I can tell) so all scaredy-cats allowed.
This was brilliant! Misfit ghosts, LGBTQ representation and fantastic cast of characters. Memorable indeed.
I didn’t know what to expect going into this but WOW I was really impressed by the writing style and the characters. I loved each and every one of them even the unsavory ones were interesting. Its definitely a character driven story.
The concept and the idea of it was something I haven’t even read in adult fiction so I was surprised, Harriet Stoker is an unforgettable (but selfish) character but of course we start to understand her more as the story develops, but I still feel an annoyance and slight sliver of irritation when it comes to Harriet but I guess that is what the author wants you to feel.
This book really grips you with the writing style and tone – it kept me interested even at times when I felt the story was losing steam but there are some minor twists that really held my attention but I just loved the way it all came together at the end and of course kind of had me feeling things, I still can’t decide if I was happy with it or not but I can see this as a great miniseries.
I also think death , well for me being a weirdo at least, is a really important topic and I am glad it was done in such a cool and different way.
This was a fun read and if you love character driven novels and the supernatural this is the perfect book for you!
Rating: 3.8
The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker by Lauren James
Standalone
Publish Date: 3 September 2020
Cover Rating: 7/10
Young Adult – Fantasy – Supernatural –Paranormal - Ghosts
Recommends it for: Fans of The Raven Boys, only because it’s a group of friends. Eh, I don’t read ghost stories ay, that has to change. This isn’t a horror (as far as I can tell) so all scaredy-cats allowed.
This was brilliant! Misfit ghosts, LGBTQ representation and fantastic cast of characters. Memorable indeed.
I didn’t know what to expect going into this but WOW I was really impressed by the writing style and the characters. I loved each and every one of them even the unsavory ones were interesting. Its definitely a character driven story.
The concept and the idea of it was something I haven’t even read in adult fiction so I was surprised, Harriet Stoker is an unforgettable (but selfish) character but of course we start to understand her more as the story develops, but I still feel an annoyance and slight sliver of irritation when it comes to Harriet but I guess that is what the author wants you to feel.
This book really grips you with the writing style and tone – it kept me interested even at times when I felt the story was losing steam but there are some minor twists that really held my attention but I just loved the way it all came together at the end and of course kind of had me feeling things, I still can’t decide if I was happy with it or not but I can see this as a great miniseries.
I also think death , well for me being a weirdo at least, is a really important topic and I am glad it was done in such a cool and different way.
This was a fun read and if you love character driven novels and the supernatural this is the perfect book for you!
Rating: 3.8
The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker by Lauren James
Standalone
Publish Date: 3 September 2020
Cover Rating: 7/10
Young Adult – Fantasy – Supernatural –Paranormal - Ghosts
September 5, 2020
WHAT?! WHAAAT?? 5 STARS PLEASE!!!!
I have just finished this book and honestly I wish I had the exceptional vocabulary needed to describe it. I wish I could do it justice. I wish I could explain everything I'm feeling right now. Honestly my brain is blown and I fear I will spend the rest of my life thinking about this book.
Lauren James has created such a unique masterpiece that I honestly can't fault it. Everything about this book was good. The characters, the plot, the writing, all of it is woven together in such a way that makes it absolutely impossible to put it down.
No one is prepared for the adventure that Harriet Stoker provides and honestly I highly recommend going into it without knowing too much about it because it will make your reading experience all the more mind blowing.
I need to reevaluate everything I know about ghost stories now that I've read this so just excuse me whilst I search my brain for words to describe how I'm feeling.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I have just finished this book and honestly I wish I had the exceptional vocabulary needed to describe it. I wish I could do it justice. I wish I could explain everything I'm feeling right now. Honestly my brain is blown and I fear I will spend the rest of my life thinking about this book.
Lauren James has created such a unique masterpiece that I honestly can't fault it. Everything about this book was good. The characters, the plot, the writing, all of it is woven together in such a way that makes it absolutely impossible to put it down.
No one is prepared for the adventure that Harriet Stoker provides and honestly I highly recommend going into it without knowing too much about it because it will make your reading experience all the more mind blowing.
I need to reevaluate everything I know about ghost stories now that I've read this so just excuse me whilst I search my brain for words to describe how I'm feeling.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 14, 2020
Plot:
When Harriet Stoker falls and dies in a tragic accident while exploring an abandoned halls of residence, she doesn’t expect to wake up again as a ghost. She definitely doesn't expect to be surrounded by the ghosts of others who have died there, including the dozens who all mysteriously died in their sleep one night twenty five years before. She’s determined to learn all about being a ghost, unlock her powers and leave to visit her grandmother and the ghosts of her parents. She’ll do anything it takes.
My thoughts:
This thriller perfectly combined spookiness, an exploration of morally grey characters and found family in a fun story about life after death. This book was gripping and immersive and just so so good; I can't wait to read more from Lauren James!
This book was so easy to just slip into and found myself reading a hundred pages without even noticing which was just perfect for getting me out of a reading slump. I found everything about it incredibly immersive, from the atmosphere to the characters to the plot. The characters, in particular, were my favourite part of the book. I loved their authenticity and connections with each other and really enjoyed reading from their different perspectives. I also loved the diversity of this book, with characters of colour and LGBTQ+ characters at the forefront of this book, including a pansexual main character!
This book was an unpredictable blend of horror and thriller with haunting supernatural elements. I loved that the horror not only stemmed from outside forces but also Harriet’s own character and determination. This book explores humanity and doesn’t shy away from the horror humans create, even with a supernatural cast of characters. The exploration of morally grey characters, family and the dangers of too much power were really interesting and these themes were so well developed. Additionally, the mystery of the omniscient narrator was really engaging and its perspective built tension and suspense very effectively.
Overall, I really enjoyed The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker and am looking forward to reading more from the author. This book had so many elements I love in a book and managed to combine them perfectly into an incredible read. I don’t want to say too much more and spoil it because I think it’s best to go into this book not knowing much and just let it blow your mind but I will say that it gets dark and it will have you on the edge of your seat!
I also talk about books here: youtube | instagram | twitter
*eARC received in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley*
When Harriet Stoker falls and dies in a tragic accident while exploring an abandoned halls of residence, she doesn’t expect to wake up again as a ghost. She definitely doesn't expect to be surrounded by the ghosts of others who have died there, including the dozens who all mysteriously died in their sleep one night twenty five years before. She’s determined to learn all about being a ghost, unlock her powers and leave to visit her grandmother and the ghosts of her parents. She’ll do anything it takes.
My thoughts:
This thriller perfectly combined spookiness, an exploration of morally grey characters and found family in a fun story about life after death. This book was gripping and immersive and just so so good; I can't wait to read more from Lauren James!
This book was so easy to just slip into and found myself reading a hundred pages without even noticing which was just perfect for getting me out of a reading slump. I found everything about it incredibly immersive, from the atmosphere to the characters to the plot. The characters, in particular, were my favourite part of the book. I loved their authenticity and connections with each other and really enjoyed reading from their different perspectives. I also loved the diversity of this book, with characters of colour and LGBTQ+ characters at the forefront of this book, including a pansexual main character!
This book was an unpredictable blend of horror and thriller with haunting supernatural elements. I loved that the horror not only stemmed from outside forces but also Harriet’s own character and determination. This book explores humanity and doesn’t shy away from the horror humans create, even with a supernatural cast of characters. The exploration of morally grey characters, family and the dangers of too much power were really interesting and these themes were so well developed. Additionally, the mystery of the omniscient narrator was really engaging and its perspective built tension and suspense very effectively.
Overall, I really enjoyed The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker and am looking forward to reading more from the author. This book had so many elements I love in a book and managed to combine them perfectly into an incredible read. I don’t want to say too much more and spoil it because I think it’s best to go into this book not knowing much and just let it blow your mind but I will say that it gets dark and it will have you on the edge of your seat!
I also talk about books here: youtube | instagram | twitter
*eARC received in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley*
July 1, 2020
Thanks to Walker Books and Netgalley for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review.
2.5, rounded up to 3.
After initially reviewing this book, it turned out that the last 20% had been missing from copy of the galley! It had been a week or so since I finished reading, but I've tried to pull my thoughts together now after actually finishing the complete version.
The final 20% changed my opinion to some extent - the conclusion was a lot more satisfying, and I enjoyed the twists, turns and revelations of the last quarter. I still found there to be some issues with the book however - though it was gripping (I sped through it in a couple of days) and mostly engaging, I found it difficult to get through. There were a few points where, had I purchased the book or gotten it from the library, I would have stopped reading. I found the violence, though not frequent, to be quite jarring. I realise it's a story about ghosts, but it felt like an unsubtle way of emphasising certain character's traits.
Characterisation, and who we focus on, affected my enjoyment of the book - I was very glad that there were multiple POV characters alongside Harriet. Although I happily read books with an unlikeable protagonist, for the majority of the book I found her really hard to deal with. I would much rather have read a book about the friendship group at an earlier point in time - I wanted to know more about all of them, and their dynamic when they were alive, what happened when they first became ghosts, etc.
The sections I enjoyed the most were watching the group simply be friends - interacting with each other happily, before the plot kicked in. Possibly, I wanted this to be a very different story than it actually was. The last quarter of the book has a much heavier emphasis on the different characters of the friendship group, allowing for greater character development, and I enjoyed it a lot more because of this.
2.5, rounded up to 3.
After initially reviewing this book, it turned out that the last 20% had been missing from copy of the galley! It had been a week or so since I finished reading, but I've tried to pull my thoughts together now after actually finishing the complete version.
The final 20% changed my opinion to some extent - the conclusion was a lot more satisfying, and I enjoyed the twists, turns and revelations of the last quarter. I still found there to be some issues with the book however - though it was gripping (I sped through it in a couple of days) and mostly engaging, I found it difficult to get through. There were a few points where, had I purchased the book or gotten it from the library, I would have stopped reading. I found the violence, though not frequent, to be quite jarring. I realise it's a story about ghosts, but it felt like an unsubtle way of emphasising certain character's traits.
Characterisation, and who we focus on, affected my enjoyment of the book - I was very glad that there were multiple POV characters alongside Harriet. Although I happily read books with an unlikeable protagonist, for the majority of the book I found her really hard to deal with. I would much rather have read a book about the friendship group at an earlier point in time - I wanted to know more about all of them, and their dynamic when they were alive, what happened when they first became ghosts, etc.
The sections I enjoyed the most were watching the group simply be friends - interacting with each other happily, before the plot kicked in. Possibly, I wanted this to be a very different story than it actually was. The last quarter of the book has a much heavier emphasis on the different characters of the friendship group, allowing for greater character development, and I enjoyed it a lot more because of this.
September 4, 2020
Thank you to Walker Books Australia for providing me with a copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review!
Harriet Stoker just wanted to take some photos in the old abandoned Mulcture Hall. Several students had died there years ago and there were all sorts of rumours about it, but Harriet thought it would be a great place to get some inspiring snaps for her photography project. That is until she fell to her death. As she steps out of her body, she’s greeted by some very excited ghosts who’ve been waiting for someone new to turn up for such a long time. When Harriet finds out the ghosts all have a special power of their own, she’s desperate to find hers – in the hope it’ll be something that can get her back to her grandmother’s house without disintegrating. But how far is she willing to go for it?
The Reckless Life of Harriet Stoker was exactly the type of book I was in the mood for right now! It is dark and brilliant and so much FUN. Ghosts with a complicated friendship circle, A morally grey MC, a sweet cinnamon ghost boy, a queer ‘will they, won’t they’ love story that I was super invested in, and a nice twisty ending! I loved the writing in this one, it was so easy to get lost in and there were even some truly funny moments. The underlying themes of addiction, where Harriet struggled with her need to gather more and more power, using her friends to do so, were really well done too.
Kasper and Felix were some of my absolute favourite characters and I want another book all about them please and thank you. This was one of those books I kept thinking about and snatching time to read more every chance I got, I was absolutely hooked. I haven’t read any other books by Lauren James yet, but after this one, I’m going to go and check some out!
Harriet Stoker just wanted to take some photos in the old abandoned Mulcture Hall. Several students had died there years ago and there were all sorts of rumours about it, but Harriet thought it would be a great place to get some inspiring snaps for her photography project. That is until she fell to her death. As she steps out of her body, she’s greeted by some very excited ghosts who’ve been waiting for someone new to turn up for such a long time. When Harriet finds out the ghosts all have a special power of their own, she’s desperate to find hers – in the hope it’ll be something that can get her back to her grandmother’s house without disintegrating. But how far is she willing to go for it?
The Reckless Life of Harriet Stoker was exactly the type of book I was in the mood for right now! It is dark and brilliant and so much FUN. Ghosts with a complicated friendship circle, A morally grey MC, a sweet cinnamon ghost boy, a queer ‘will they, won’t they’ love story that I was super invested in, and a nice twisty ending! I loved the writing in this one, it was so easy to get lost in and there were even some truly funny moments. The underlying themes of addiction, where Harriet struggled with her need to gather more and more power, using her friends to do so, were really well done too.
Kasper and Felix were some of my absolute favourite characters and I want another book all about them please and thank you. This was one of those books I kept thinking about and snatching time to read more every chance I got, I was absolutely hooked. I haven’t read any other books by Lauren James yet, but after this one, I’m going to go and check some out!
September 8, 2020
This book was fine. It was easy to read and the plot moved along quickly without any unnecessary slow side diversions.
But I felt the world-building and the main plot - not revealed until the end - were weak. All the characters are ghosts, and it's established they can't interact with the real world... so why are they worried if it's raining? It's not like they can get wet. And it's never explained why or how Harriet's phone can hear her ghost voice and activate when they can't interact with anything else - it doesn't make any sense! And then there's the whole thing... It's never explained how that's possible either. Honestly, the fact that everyone was dead just felt like a gimmick for the story - and like the author sometimes forgot that they were (as in the case of them being worried about the rain) when it was convenient for drama. I don't feel like the whole death/ghost thing was explored at all. It could have been substituted with "and she was struck by lightning and developed a superpower and was trapped with a community of people in the same situation" and almost nothing about the story would have had to change, which is weak world building in my opinion.
I also thought Harriet wasn't particularly well written. She never seemed to commit to anything. The reader is constantly treated to her inner monologue of "I want to go home, I'll do anything to get there" but then next minute she's feeling guilty and out of control. Maybe in a different author this would have been pulled off and made a great conflicted character, but here it just felt like the author couldn't decide if she wanted Harriet to be evil or not. There was no commitment one way or another. Even Harriet's decision at the end to had almost no emotional weight. There was no real turning point. It just felt like the author was relieved to finally show Harriet good inside all along, and all previous efforts to show how she was were just half-hearted.
Still, it's an easy and quick read, enjoyable if you don't think about it. And just forget that they're ghosts, since that has little effect on the story.
But I felt the world-building and the main plot - not revealed until the end - were weak. All the characters are ghosts, and it's established they can't interact with the real world... so why are they worried if it's raining? It's not like they can get wet. And it's never explained why or how Harriet's phone can hear her ghost voice and activate when they can't interact with anything else - it doesn't make any sense! And then there's the whole thing... It's never explained how that's possible either. Honestly, the fact that everyone was dead just felt like a gimmick for the story - and like the author sometimes forgot that they were (as in the case of them being worried about the rain) when it was convenient for drama. I don't feel like the whole death/ghost thing was explored at all. It could have been substituted with "and she was struck by lightning and developed a superpower and was trapped with a community of people in the same situation" and almost nothing about the story would have had to change, which is weak world building in my opinion.
I also thought Harriet wasn't particularly well written. She never seemed to commit to anything. The reader is constantly treated to her inner monologue of "I want to go home, I'll do anything to get there" but then next minute she's feeling guilty and out of control. Maybe in a different author this would have been pulled off and made a great conflicted character, but here it just felt like the author couldn't decide if she wanted Harriet to be evil or not. There was no commitment one way or another. Even Harriet's decision at the end to had almost no emotional weight. There was no real turning point. It just felt like the author was relieved to finally show Harriet good inside all along, and all previous efforts to show how she was were just half-hearted.
Still, it's an easy and quick read, enjoyable if you don't think about it. And just forget that they're ghosts, since that has little effect on the story.
July 1, 2020
Thank you Walker Books and NetGalley for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. My review is my own and not influenced by others.
Normally I don’t read thrillers so this was a new genre for me to discover. The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker is a story about a young woman who dies in an abandoned building and discovers there is an afterlife with other ghosts. Some who are good and some who are very bad.
The story got my attention right from the start and kept it for about forty percent of the story. Right when my attention slipped away there was a plot twist I didn’t expect and then there was another and another plot twist I didn’t see coming. Those plot twists drew my attention back to the story and kept it through to the end.
What I liked very much was the way the writer wrote the story. The personages were also something I liked very much. The side notes were something I loved, it gave something extra to the story.
Normally I don’t read thrillers so this was a new genre for me to discover. The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker is a story about a young woman who dies in an abandoned building and discovers there is an afterlife with other ghosts. Some who are good and some who are very bad.
The story got my attention right from the start and kept it for about forty percent of the story. Right when my attention slipped away there was a plot twist I didn’t expect and then there was another and another plot twist I didn’t see coming. Those plot twists drew my attention back to the story and kept it through to the end.
What I liked very much was the way the writer wrote the story. The personages were also something I liked very much. The side notes were something I loved, it gave something extra to the story.
December 28, 2020
This is so disappointing because I’ve loved Lauren James books before, but this book for me was not good. I hated the main character - although I understand we weren’t meant to like her... but still.. I thought there were to many attempts at twists and turns but I knew where the book was going and I wasn’t that interested. I felt like the friendships are forced and the relationships didn’t make any sense. I enjoyed the lore of the story but there didn’t seem to be much thought into the details.
I will totally still read Lauren James - The Loneliest Girl In the Universe is amazing and I trust this was just a fluke... I do!
I will totally still read Lauren James - The Loneliest Girl In the Universe is amazing and I trust this was just a fluke... I do!
September 29, 2020
I... did not enjoy this. The premise was ok? But it was written like a middle grade book, with the content of a YA book, and that made it awkward. It’s the author equivalent of speaking to someone in a baby voice, and it’s frustrating as hell. It also made very little sense and it took a long time to get to the main part of the story.
I don’t know what drove me to actually finish this book, rather than DNFing it, but I did and now I’m ready and eager to move on to something that doesn’t feel overly moralistic and heavy handed.
I don’t know what drove me to actually finish this book, rather than DNFing it, but I did and now I’m ready and eager to move on to something that doesn’t feel overly moralistic and heavy handed.
September 30, 2024
very generic with kinda cringey dialogue and also very uninformative about how incorporeal beings are able to jizz in their pants :( still fun
November 23, 2020
My review on my website www.bookread2day.wordpress.com
Oh my I’m crazy about this story. Every now and then I love to read a ghost story.
Eighteen year old Harriet Stoker had passed Mulcture Hall on the day she toured the University of Warwick. One night Harriet went into the abandoned Mulcture Hall to take some photos for a project, then get back to see her gran. When a freak accident happens, her foot got caught in something, tripped over the edge of the stairwell, crashing to the ground, with a pool of blood from the split of her skull.
We’re all ghosts. And so are you.
With Harriet coming too, she sees a boy looking at her. But how did she survive? She would have died. Then Harriet is told she died. She is dead. She didn’t quite believe him, but decided to play along and hope she could get rid of all of the ghosts that are in Mulcture Hall. But now Harriet is a ghost can she leave Mulcture Hall. She couldn’t be stuck there forever, with no way to return to her old life. What if death is only the beginning?
With so much more of the story to look forward to, I have to say this is the perfect Christmas present 🌲
Oh my I’m crazy about this story. Every now and then I love to read a ghost story.
Eighteen year old Harriet Stoker had passed Mulcture Hall on the day she toured the University of Warwick. One night Harriet went into the abandoned Mulcture Hall to take some photos for a project, then get back to see her gran. When a freak accident happens, her foot got caught in something, tripped over the edge of the stairwell, crashing to the ground, with a pool of blood from the split of her skull.
We’re all ghosts. And so are you.
With Harriet coming too, she sees a boy looking at her. But how did she survive? She would have died. Then Harriet is told she died. She is dead. She didn’t quite believe him, but decided to play along and hope she could get rid of all of the ghosts that are in Mulcture Hall. But now Harriet is a ghost can she leave Mulcture Hall. She couldn’t be stuck there forever, with no way to return to her old life. What if death is only the beginning?
With so much more of the story to look forward to, I have to say this is the perfect Christmas present 🌲
February 16, 2021
Trigger warnings: death, murder, blood, violence, animal death, death of a parent (in the past), poisoning
3.75 stars.
I have loved every single book that Lauren James has published, and this concept sounded incredibly cool so I was very excited to read it. And then it took me approximately a thousand years to get into it for reasons that I cannot pinpoint.
I loved the flipping between narrators and I loved the friendships and the complexities of the relationships. But I think a big part of the problem that I had with this is that for a huge chunk of the story, Harriet is just an enormously unlikeable character. I mean, I came around on her in the end! But the middle of the book was kind of a struggle whenever her perspective came around.
That being said, there were endless plot twists that I didn't see coming, and I liked that there were so many horror elements in what I thought would be a straight up paranormal book. On the whole, I had a lot of fun reading this, and I can't wait to see what Lauren James writes next.
3.75 stars.
I have loved every single book that Lauren James has published, and this concept sounded incredibly cool so I was very excited to read it. And then it took me approximately a thousand years to get into it for reasons that I cannot pinpoint.
I loved the flipping between narrators and I loved the friendships and the complexities of the relationships. But I think a big part of the problem that I had with this is that for a huge chunk of the story, Harriet is just an enormously unlikeable character. I mean, I came around on her in the end! But the middle of the book was kind of a struggle whenever her perspective came around.
That being said, there were endless plot twists that I didn't see coming, and I liked that there were so many horror elements in what I thought would be a straight up paranormal book. On the whole, I had a lot of fun reading this, and I can't wait to see what Lauren James writes next.
October 31, 2020
It is so hard to rate this book because it’s a unique story with a lot of moving parts that mostly works? The ending has me wanting more, for sure.
October 23, 2020
In the true spirit of spooky season, now seemed the perfect moment to read about ghosts. But listen, I don't really like scary things and ghosts are high on the list of things I typically avoid in novels so The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker was a risk; thankfully there was a lot more to love than to be scared of!
Harriet wanted to take pictures of an abandoned building in which several students had met their end; excited by the rumours, Harriet just has to have these photos to really make an impact. But then she also died, which is unfortunate to say the least - talk about dying for your art! What happens to Harriet next, or at least what's left of her, remains to be a true ghost story filled with spirits with special powers. And Harriet wants one!
I really love the way Lauren James writes. Her novels aren't typically the genre or theme I would be especially interested in, but I've accidentally read her novels and loved them regardless. Her writing is seamless and actually really fun - guess I'm just a sucker for a morally grey sub-plot. On top of this, quite often the way in which her books are written forces you to ask questions of yourself; big questions usually. This novel really challenges what it really means to be alive, and what we're really hoping to achieve with our own (as far as we know!) life.
This book will suck you in, make it impossible for you to choose a favourite character, and then spit you back out. Okay, so ghosts aren't for me and that lessens my enjoyment, but if they're for you this will easily be a 5 star read.
ARC provided from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.
Harriet wanted to take pictures of an abandoned building in which several students had met their end; excited by the rumours, Harriet just has to have these photos to really make an impact. But then she also died, which is unfortunate to say the least - talk about dying for your art! What happens to Harriet next, or at least what's left of her, remains to be a true ghost story filled with spirits with special powers. And Harriet wants one!
I really love the way Lauren James writes. Her novels aren't typically the genre or theme I would be especially interested in, but I've accidentally read her novels and loved them regardless. Her writing is seamless and actually really fun - guess I'm just a sucker for a morally grey sub-plot. On top of this, quite often the way in which her books are written forces you to ask questions of yourself; big questions usually. This novel really challenges what it really means to be alive, and what we're really hoping to achieve with our own (as far as we know!) life.
This book will suck you in, make it impossible for you to choose a favourite character, and then spit you back out. Okay, so ghosts aren't for me and that lessens my enjoyment, but if they're for you this will easily be a 5 star read.
ARC provided from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.
June 26, 2020
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 3.5
This book is about Harriet, a student who has the brilliant idea of going into an old building to take some photos. She ends up dying and she gets stuck in this "place" with a lot of other people who also died there. She gets close to a group of ghost close to her age and they show her how her "life" will be from now on.
The author's writing is very gripping - as it was in her other books I've read - and it went by very quickly. There was also a nice twist - which I didn't see coming AT ALL - I also liked the concept of each ghost having a specific power and I enjoyed the atmosphere. However, the character were a bit bland for me and I was expecting MORE about from the story's development.
Overall, it's an entertaining and interesting read - specially for halloween - but there are better books in this genre.
Rating: 3.5
This book is about Harriet, a student who has the brilliant idea of going into an old building to take some photos. She ends up dying and she gets stuck in this "place" with a lot of other people who also died there. She gets close to a group of ghost close to her age and they show her how her "life" will be from now on.
The author's writing is very gripping - as it was in her other books I've read - and it went by very quickly. There was also a nice twist - which I didn't see coming AT ALL - I also liked the concept of each ghost having a specific power and I enjoyed the atmosphere. However, the character were a bit bland for me and I was expecting MORE about from the story's development.
Overall, it's an entertaining and interesting read - specially for halloween - but there are better books in this genre.
September 17, 2020
*4.5 Stars*
I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker is a ghost story. It starts when Harriet takes a fall and dies in an old university building. Turns out, a lot of people whom have died in that building are still there, as ghosts. There's a kind of hierarchy and the criminals are locked in the basement. A LOT happens but I don't want to get into it more than that, I think it's better to discover it just as Harriet does, learning alongside her.
I really loved this. The characters were layered, in the best way. I ended hating some of them and finding redemption for them in very little time, it was all done so perfectly. A couple of them were also my little angels and I loved them to death from the start.
I was also enthralled by the setting, the plot, all of it really. It was very well constructed from beginning to end and the twists took me by surprise.
Also, it was very gay, which is always an added bonus. Oh and I liked that we had several points of view. I also liked the italics parts even though I was very confused at first.
Honestly, just a great story from beginning to end. I had heard a lot about Lauren James before and I now know for sure that I will read all of her books.
I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker is a ghost story. It starts when Harriet takes a fall and dies in an old university building. Turns out, a lot of people whom have died in that building are still there, as ghosts. There's a kind of hierarchy and the criminals are locked in the basement. A LOT happens but I don't want to get into it more than that, I think it's better to discover it just as Harriet does, learning alongside her.
I really loved this. The characters were layered, in the best way. I ended hating some of them and finding redemption for them in very little time, it was all done so perfectly. A couple of them were also my little angels and I loved them to death from the start.
I was also enthralled by the setting, the plot, all of it really. It was very well constructed from beginning to end and the twists took me by surprise.
Also, it was very gay, which is always an added bonus. Oh and I liked that we had several points of view. I also liked the italics parts even though I was very confused at first.
Honestly, just a great story from beginning to end. I had heard a lot about Lauren James before and I now know for sure that I will read all of her books.
December 15, 2020
Blew my mind. I love how fleshed out the characters are. I find myself on the fence on whether to hate Harriet or not. It’s so hard to pick a side because you know what she went through.
This was at times a gory read. Was not expecting a detailed description of how someone’s eyeballs are gouged out 🙃
The last few chapters were engrossing!
Would recommend this book for anyone who loves understanding character motives. My psych degree was put to good use 😂
This was at times a gory read. Was not expecting a detailed description of how someone’s eyeballs are gouged out 🙃
The last few chapters were engrossing!
Would recommend this book for anyone who loves understanding character motives. My psych degree was put to good use 😂
March 31, 2020
Roll on September when this glorious book will publish and we can hopefully all go into bookshops and pick up a copy! It's been a while since I last enjoyed a book the way I enjoyed Harriet Stoker. It's the kind of book that will make you squeal with delight for so many reasons! Roll on pub date so I can start talking about it (PS I'm lucky enough to work for the publisher which is why I have access to the manuscript)
November 19, 2025
why have I spent so long trying to figure out what I want in a ghost book when Wren James was right there
January 5, 2025
3.4⭐️
It was an ok book. I'm not saying it's bad or not written well, it's just not for me I guess? I despised Harriet for majority of the book even though she was in an abusive household that she didn't even realise but like she made so many stupid choices. they are ghosts btw.
My opinion of the characters:
Harriet - 😑 Meh. I hated her for most of the book but she was tolerable at the end. Actually is good writing by Lauren James to make a reader that invested in a character so high five to her. Shields -👍, stolen powers - 😒
Rima - 😁 I like her. The bubbly, happy vibes she emits. She's so sweet and Harriet totally took advantage of that. Shapeshifting - cool.
Felix - 🙃 He's okaay. Nerdy and nice. But -i know it's hard to tell someone you like them but *cough* Tell Kasper Mate! *cough*- at least they got their moment at the end. Hypnotisinggg - 👍.
Kasper - 🙃 He's giving self sacrificial vibes. Bro gave up his fear -the emotion that keeps your impulses in check- to get revenge for Felix's brother being k*lled. *cough* get together already! *cough* He's kinda sweet though, tough and funny guy on the outside but vulnerable and bruised on the inside. Possessing people - cool but stay sane pls.
Leah - 😁 I like her. Her character has 🙌depth🙌 and backstory. I likey. She has an ✨attitude✨ and im here for it. Protective mama ❤️ Seeing past\future - nice.
Claudia - 😁 Yaaasss. She's legit stuck as a baby til she disintergrates but she's so bad*ss and intelligent I love it. Love her character, took me forever to realise the narration was her pov tho. Seeing past\future - slay, you rock it better than your mum - dont tell her that-. My fav character i think other than rima.
Norma\Fabian - 😡😖 Boooooo. She\he sucks. Made Harriet into a bad bad girl. Traumatised her and made her morally dodgy. Something to do with memories? -boooooooo.
There's more but these are the main ones -and im lazy so thats it.
Overall well-written, got me emotionally involved -bad idea i know- and had good character development. Oh and the covers pretty. Good plotline but it kinda dragged. It was like build up build up build up and then dramaaaaa. I know its hard to write a good book and i know the climax is important but i feel like it could have happened a tad earlier. Good book tho.
It was an ok book. I'm not saying it's bad or not written well, it's just not for me I guess? I despised Harriet for majority of the book even though she was in an abusive household that she didn't even realise but like she made so many stupid choices. they are ghosts btw.
My opinion of the characters:
Harriet - 😑 Meh. I hated her for most of the book but she was tolerable at the end. Actually is good writing by Lauren James to make a reader that invested in a character so high five to her. Shields -👍, stolen powers - 😒
Rima - 😁 I like her. The bubbly, happy vibes she emits. She's so sweet and Harriet totally took advantage of that. Shapeshifting - cool.
Felix - 🙃 He's okaay. Nerdy and nice. But -i know it's hard to tell someone you like them but *cough* Tell Kasper Mate! *cough*- at least they got their moment at the end. Hypnotisinggg - 👍.
Kasper - 🙃 He's giving self sacrificial vibes. Bro gave up his fear -the emotion that keeps your impulses in check- to get revenge for Felix's brother being k*lled. *cough* get together already! *cough* He's kinda sweet though, tough and funny guy on the outside but vulnerable and bruised on the inside. Possessing people - cool but stay sane pls.
Leah - 😁 I like her. Her character has 🙌depth🙌 and backstory. I likey. She has an ✨attitude✨ and im here for it. Protective mama ❤️ Seeing past\future - nice.
Claudia - 😁 Yaaasss. She's legit stuck as a baby til she disintergrates but she's so bad*ss and intelligent I love it. Love her character, took me forever to realise the narration was her pov tho. Seeing past\future - slay, you rock it better than your mum - dont tell her that-. My fav character i think other than rima.
Norma\Fabian - 😡😖 Boooooo. She\he sucks. Made Harriet into a bad bad girl. Traumatised her and made her morally dodgy. Something to do with memories? -boooooooo.
There's more but these are the main ones -and im lazy so thats it.
Overall well-written, got me emotionally involved -bad idea i know- and had good character development. Oh and the covers pretty. Good plotline but it kinda dragged. It was like build up build up build up and then dramaaaaa. I know its hard to write a good book and i know the climax is important but i feel like it could have happened a tad earlier. Good book tho.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 24, 2020
Harriet is trying to finish her assignment for Photography class, snapping photos in one abandoned building renowned for haunting ghost stories. She is just too focused on getting the right photo, so she can get a good grade for the project and she doesn’t notice the danger signs, and regretfully she falls off a balcony and dies. Harriet discovers that there is an afterlife as a ghost and the building is actually full of other ghosts. Between the struggles to accept her death and getting accepted into a group of ghost friends, she is determined to find a way to come back home.
This book was a hell of a hangover. I am not a massive fan of paranormal or ghost stories, even if I spent my high school period watching X-Files like Rima, one of the characters in the book. However, this book was amazing. I really couldn’t put it down and I still keep thinking about it. I enjoyed the plot twist of The Loneliest Girl in the Universe. With The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker, Lauren James proved herself again to be a brilliant mastermind. Seriously, the revelation at the end dropped my jaw and that last chapter got me wishing for more. I loved all the well developed characters, and I loved that I got to read this story from different perspectives. The story kept me guessing the identity of the mysterious/omnipresent POV until the very last moment. It gets really dark as you get to see Harriet's story arc, and it explores the grey area between being good and bad, how our past and actions of our close family members can dangerously impact our present choices.
If you are looking for a scary, chilling ghost story to keep you on the edge all the time, this story is perfect – and it will kill you. I am only gutted that I found out about Lauren James’s fancast and playlist after finishing this book!! Knowing that Rufus would look like Rami Malek would have massively improved my reading experience.
Absolutely brilliant!
This book was a hell of a hangover. I am not a massive fan of paranormal or ghost stories, even if I spent my high school period watching X-Files like Rima, one of the characters in the book. However, this book was amazing. I really couldn’t put it down and I still keep thinking about it. I enjoyed the plot twist of The Loneliest Girl in the Universe. With The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker, Lauren James proved herself again to be a brilliant mastermind. Seriously, the revelation at the end dropped my jaw and that last chapter got me wishing for more. I loved all the well developed characters, and I loved that I got to read this story from different perspectives. The story kept me guessing the identity of the mysterious/omnipresent POV until the very last moment. It gets really dark as you get to see Harriet's story arc, and it explores the grey area between being good and bad, how our past and actions of our close family members can dangerously impact our present choices.
If you are looking for a scary, chilling ghost story to keep you on the edge all the time, this story is perfect – and it will kill you. I am only gutted that I found out about Lauren James’s fancast and playlist after finishing this book!! Knowing that Rufus would look like Rami Malek would have massively improved my reading experience.
Absolutely brilliant!
July 9, 2020
I do adore Lauren James. She is a brilliant author and each and every book is so different from the last. This latest novel, The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker plays with time and space in a very different way to her previous books. Here she explores life after death.. amongst other things.
Harriet Stoker is exploring the dilapidated remains of Mulcture Hall. It’s her first year at the University of Warwick and she is trying to add some atmosphere to her photography project. Unfortunately for Harriet, she is about to fall foul of a nasty accident, an accident that will kill her. Dead. But that, dear reader, is not the end of Harriet’s story – in fact it is just the beginning.
As Harriet comes to term with the fact that her physical body and she have parted company, she soon becomes aware that Mulcture Hall is full of ghosts. The energy that bursts from her as she dies wakes the ghosts up. Some of them are incredibly friendly and please to see her, they take her under their wing and help her with life after death. It’s a little more complicated than one might think. It’s not long before Harriet discovers that’s she unable to leave Mulcture Hall, to do so would cause her to disintegrate – and nobody knows what happens then. Harriet is distraught as she thinks of her poor gran left alone at home. Her only desire is to somehow get back to her and let her know she isn’t alone.
But there are other ghosts – The tricksters – in the deepest darkest basement, these ghosts really aren’t very pleasant at all, they’ll think nothing of stealing every last drop of energy that is stopping you from disintegrating. The hunt for energy and power is all they crave. Harriet however, in her desparation, believes that she may be able to make a deal with them so they can help get her home to her gran. If anyone knows how, then surely the Tricksters do. Yet how much is she willing to sacrifice? Her new friends? Her new found ghostly powers? Her humanity? Before long Harriet is causing havoc and things are getting way out of control. Events that have been unfolding for over a thousand years suddenly come to a head and Harriet soon has to make a choice – one that could cost everything, including the afterlife.
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. This story just runs at full throttle. Who knew that life could be so dangerous after death!? As with any fab YA novel it looks at the everyday issues of friendships, fitting in, sexuality, and of course of that one true power we hold inside each and every one of us that makes us who we are. It’s also about making mistakes and how we learn from them. It’s funny, at times scary, a little romantic but also features some rather awesome ghost fighting in a sucking out all the energy/tearing apart bodies kind of way. the cover is rather awesome too!
Thanks so much to the lovely team at Walker Books for inviting me to read and review this title. Can’t wait to get myself a printed copy.
Harriet Stoker is exploring the dilapidated remains of Mulcture Hall. It’s her first year at the University of Warwick and she is trying to add some atmosphere to her photography project. Unfortunately for Harriet, she is about to fall foul of a nasty accident, an accident that will kill her. Dead. But that, dear reader, is not the end of Harriet’s story – in fact it is just the beginning.
As Harriet comes to term with the fact that her physical body and she have parted company, she soon becomes aware that Mulcture Hall is full of ghosts. The energy that bursts from her as she dies wakes the ghosts up. Some of them are incredibly friendly and please to see her, they take her under their wing and help her with life after death. It’s a little more complicated than one might think. It’s not long before Harriet discovers that’s she unable to leave Mulcture Hall, to do so would cause her to disintegrate – and nobody knows what happens then. Harriet is distraught as she thinks of her poor gran left alone at home. Her only desire is to somehow get back to her and let her know she isn’t alone.
But there are other ghosts – The tricksters – in the deepest darkest basement, these ghosts really aren’t very pleasant at all, they’ll think nothing of stealing every last drop of energy that is stopping you from disintegrating. The hunt for energy and power is all they crave. Harriet however, in her desparation, believes that she may be able to make a deal with them so they can help get her home to her gran. If anyone knows how, then surely the Tricksters do. Yet how much is she willing to sacrifice? Her new friends? Her new found ghostly powers? Her humanity? Before long Harriet is causing havoc and things are getting way out of control. Events that have been unfolding for over a thousand years suddenly come to a head and Harriet soon has to make a choice – one that could cost everything, including the afterlife.
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. This story just runs at full throttle. Who knew that life could be so dangerous after death!? As with any fab YA novel it looks at the everyday issues of friendships, fitting in, sexuality, and of course of that one true power we hold inside each and every one of us that makes us who we are. It’s also about making mistakes and how we learn from them. It’s funny, at times scary, a little romantic but also features some rather awesome ghost fighting in a sucking out all the energy/tearing apart bodies kind of way. the cover is rather awesome too!
Thanks so much to the lovely team at Walker Books for inviting me to read and review this title. Can’t wait to get myself a printed copy.
September 8, 2020
*thanks to Walker Books for sending me an ARC*
I read a lot of books that I love, but I have to admit that there aren’t very many that surprise me. The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker by Lauren James was one of those few! This paranormal YA fantasy novel is fun and creepy, and has whole load of unexpected twists and turns, and clever revelations.
I loved the cast of characters we met - the good and the bad - as well as the mysterious and seemingly omnipresent narrator who pops up between chapters.
The story hooked me right away, it was hard to put down, and i have been thinking about it since I finished. If you are looking for something smart and sassy, a bit creepy and really unique I can’t recommend it highly enough. Let me know if you’ve read it what you thought – it’s one of those books I can’t wait to talk to other people about!
I read a lot of books that I love, but I have to admit that there aren’t very many that surprise me. The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker by Lauren James was one of those few! This paranormal YA fantasy novel is fun and creepy, and has whole load of unexpected twists and turns, and clever revelations.
I loved the cast of characters we met - the good and the bad - as well as the mysterious and seemingly omnipresent narrator who pops up between chapters.
The story hooked me right away, it was hard to put down, and i have been thinking about it since I finished. If you are looking for something smart and sassy, a bit creepy and really unique I can’t recommend it highly enough. Let me know if you’ve read it what you thought – it’s one of those books I can’t wait to talk to other people about!
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