This was an intriguing tale of lost stories of women. I love hearing untold stories so this was right up my alley. I loved the richness and unique way each story was told.

This audiobook had a very good ghost story. The stories were extremely interesting. The narrator gave a solid performance. Therefore, I recommend this to anyone interested in ghost stories and history.

This was a very well constructed and intelligently researched look at female ghosts and the wider representation of women in the paranormal sphere. The book is split into different stereotypical female roles (the widow, the bad girl, the jilted bride etc.) and each section has a very interesting introductory essay which looks at how the social mores of the time affected the way female ghosts were discussed. I found a lot of the specific ghost stories really enjoyable to learn about (I particularly enjoyed the Lizzie Borden and Joan Rivers stories) and thought that the authors did a really good job at providing interesting content about spiritualism and the paranormal without telling the reader what they should believe. Overall, a fun read indeed.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is an interesting take on ghost hunting books as it deal with just the ghosts of American women. A bit historical biographies and as bit paranormal introspection. Enter with an open mind.

This book was sort of middle of the road for me. It was interesting at times, boring at times. It wasn't bad but it also wasn't a book I went racing back to.

This is a nonfiction book aimed at popular audiences, meaning that although it is clear the authors have done a tremendous amount of research on each topic and location, the text itself does not feel bogged down with technical language or academic terms. This book is approachable and interesting, exploring an often overlooked portion of American history and ghost hunting in America.

I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This is a book that I would enjoy reading over and over again in a heartbeat. The ideas and tales presented in "A Haunted History of Invisible Women: True Stories of America's Ghosts" have a feminist as well as a historical impact on me (i.e., I would advocate for women who were victims in both life and death), and the book is titled "A Haunted History of Invisible Women: True Stories of America's Ghosts." In addition, it is a book that helped me become aware of other accounts of paranormal occurrences in the United States.

Regarding the different aspects of dark tourism, I have done research on this subject, and I am very interested in expanding upon this topic through the course of my work. I even suggested to my sister, who was in Boston over the past few weeks, that she take a ghost tour and hear the stories of a variety of women and locations; thankfully, she found the experience to be enjoyable.

When I discuss spooky holiday spots and haunted locations, this book will continue to serve as an indispensable resource for me. I don't make frequent reference to particular books or the information that is found within them.

Three things I love: history, ghost stories, books that challenge us to consider things from a different perspective.

A HAUNTED HISTORY OF INVISIBLE WOMEN by Leanna Renee Hieber and Andrea Janes delivers on all three. I'm halfway through and loving this smart, insightful non-fiction look at ghost stories that feature women.

This book is more than just a collection of the same old stories you've heard a thousand times though. The authors delve into the history behind the stories and the sociological underpinings that are the impetus for these archetypal tales in the first place.

It's those insights that really make the book stand out.

A Haunted History of Invisible Women: True Stories of America's Ghosts was written by Leanna Renee Hieber and Andrea Janes, and the audiobook is narrated by Linda Jones. From the notorious Lizzie Borden to the innumerable, haunted rooms of Sarah Winchester's mysterious mansion, this book explores the history behind America’s female ghosts, the stereotypes, myths, and paranormal tales that swirl around them, what their stories reveal about us—and why they haunt us. Sorrowful widows, vengeful jezebels, innocent maidens, wronged lovers, former slaves, even the occasional axe-murderess—America’s female ghosts differ widely in background, class, and circumstance. Yet one thing unites them: their ability to instill fascination and fear, long after their deaths. Here are the full stories behind some of the best-known among them, as well as the lesser-known—though no less powerful. Tales whispered in darkness often divulge more about the teller than the subject. America’s most famous female ghosts, from from ‘Mrs. Spencer’ who haunted Joan Rivers’ New York apartment to Bridget Bishop, the first person executed during the Salem witchcraft trials, mirror each era’s fears and prejudices. Yet through urban legends and campfire stories, even ghosts like the nameless hard-working women lost in the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire —achieve a measure of power and agency in death, in ways unavailable to them as living women.

A Haunted History of Invisible Women offers a readers a variety of ghostly legends, including the research into the people and places involved, all through the lens of feminism. The social constructs, expectations, and realities of life as a woman have colored even the most factual hauntings, and this book dives into how this has shaped specific stories, and how our perception and interest in the stories has been shaped as well. I love a good ghost story, and more than that I love looking into the historical research of what really happened, particularly what we do know and what is lost in time and legend because of record keeping and unsolved crimes. I like that this book focused on the history, lives, and treatment of the women that these ghostly legends are based on, and the spiritualists and women that are drawn to the subject matter. While every time I hear ghost stories I think about what can be proven, what can be debunked, and the real lives of the people at the heart of the story, I think this book made me even more conscious of how our societal expectations and stereotypes shape the stories and how we think about them. I think this book offers exactly what it promises and while I was well acquainted with many of these tales, it offered me bits of history and some new perspectives to consider with other stories I already know, or might hear about in the future.

A Haunted History of Invisible Woman: True Stories of American's Ghosts
By Leanna Renee However; Andrea Janes
Narrated by Linda Jones

Thank you to netgalley for sending me a copy for a honest review.

What's it about 👻
From the notorious Lizzie Borden to the innumerable, haunted rooms of Sarah Winchester's mysterious mansion, this offbeat, insightful, first-ever book of its kind explores the history behind America’s female ghosts, the stereotypes, myths, and paranormal tales that swirl around them, what their stories reveal about us—and why they haunt us…

My thoughts
I found the book very thought -provoking and indepth. I enjoyed the new prospective on prominent folklore and ghost stories regarding women in America. The audio books narration by Linda Jones was well done.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐

A Haunted History of Invisible Women was a compelling collection of ghost stories focusing on women’s history from a feminist lens. I thought this was a really interesting read!

I hadn’t thought about sexism in ghost stories beyond rolling my eyes at tales clearly told through the male gaze to scare. This book broke down some interesting archetypes.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this book expecting a spooky read for the time leading up to Halloween. I've always enjoyed a good ghost story so it seemed like a safe bet. As luck would have it, though, this books turned out to be much more thought -provoking and indepth than I ever would have expected.

The book focuses on some of the more prominent folklore and ghost stories regarding women that persist in popular culture today. Rather than just relaying the same tales that we've come to repeat as fact, the authors looks deeper, discussing the actual people who inspired them They explore how their stories came to be told as they are. Why are so many reduced to the madwoman, the murdered young bride, the witch? Why are we so fascinated by these figures? There may be no concrete answers to any of these questions, but A Haunted History of Invisible women certainly provides some food for thought, and it does so in an incredibly respectful manner

I will confess that there were times in which I found myself wandering a bit, but admittedly that may be because I found the reader's (audiobook version) voice soothing. My mind can wander when I'm relaxed.

If you read this book, be prepared for a lot of history and to enter with as open a mind as possible. It's pointed out at the beginning of the book that belief in ghosts is not needed to read and enjoy it. While, I wholeheartedly agree, I also believe the ability to ask yourself the question "What if" will greatly enhance your experience.

Final score: 4/5.

My thanks to NetGalley.

A Haunted History of Invisible Women is a wonderful cross-cultural examination of the phenomenon of famous ghost-lore through modern history. The book acts as a highlight reel of the various female ghosts throughout United States history, explaining their origin and the cultural significance of these women and their stories.

I deeply enjoyed my experience with this novel, and was left wanting to learn more about each woman, their story and the location. The authors maintained a level of respect for each women and their story, and I look forward to their future works.

Thank you to the author, publisher, narrator and Net Galley for providing a free e-audio version of this title in exchange for my review.

I enjoyed this book so much, after I finished listening to it, I pre-ordered a copy of the book so I could go through and review it. Maybe it's just what I'm in the mood for right now, but I ate this book up and wanted more!

5 stars, without a doubt, and I'll be watching for more like this!

I chose this as an AUDIBOOK for it's title, cover and summary.
I do enjoy a good ghost story and was hoping to be thoroughly engrossed by this audiobook.
To be honest, I DNF.
I appreciate the authors and their respective backgrounds, but the long intro's from each took me a minute, and I had to keep going back as so not to miss anything.

While there was a lot of history given to the listener, creating a "back drop" if you will, as each's theme's ghost was introduced, it felt overwhelming and I couldn't fully appreciate the ghosts themselves. The Mother's and Wives theme was enjoyable. More so because it was very relatable for me with the "then and now". Unfortunately, I stopped after that theme.

The narrator also seemed to have periods of monotone at times, that also took away from REALLY getting into this audiobook.

All in all, I feel I could likely finish this, and really enjoy it, if it were a "book" versus "audiobook".
I do appreciate NETGALLEY allowing me access to this audiobook in-turn for my honest review above.

Absolutely amazing. This is not a book of ghost stories, but a book of stories about those who have supposedly become ghost. Both author's do a great job bringing the history of the woman accused of witchcraft, murder, and suicide, that are used as money makers in the paranormal industry.
A refreshing break from my usual horror stories
The audio version of this was great, the narrator using just the right tone to not sound like you were being taught so much as she was telling you the real story behind the ghost hunter tales.
Highly recommend.
Thanks to@netgalley for the o6to listen to this audiobook in exchange for my hon est and unbiased opinion

Zzz.. I’m sorry, but most of this book was very simply, boring. Despite some interesting chapters, it was as if someone googled “female ghosts “ and then just read the search results page aloud. Nothing went beyond a cut-and-paste of information regurgitated from other sources except the chapter introductions (which were weak, at best). Yes, there is a blatantly old-school feminist, male-bashing agenda in said introductions, but that could be forgiven, even, possibly some of the tone deaf (bordering on offensive) comments about mothers and women who chose/lived a life with traditional “female” roles if there was a reason to continue reading, bus, alas, there is not. An author is allowed to have an agenda, to put forth whatever message he or she would like, but should at least do it in a new, interesting, or compelling way. The only benefit I found was that all of these stories were compiled in one place, so independent research isn’t needed.

The audiobook narration added to the lack of excitement. The narrator sounds like she was reading from the back of a cereal box, often putting emphasis on seemingly random words within sentences. The pace was slow and plotting, and I frequently considered not finishing. I can’t say that I’m glad I did, except that I hate having a DNF. I put the speed at 2x, but still often found myself falling asleep or zoning out. It’s too bad, I really had high hopes.

This was a wonderful book to listen to as Halloween approaches! Not just a book of ghost stories, but stories specifically about women who have been reduced to mere myths and legends after living full (and yes sometimes murderous or crime filled) lives. It’s a really unique twist on how women have been portrayed throughout history, specifically strong women who happened to die in spooky or scary ways. I recommend this book to anyone, any time of year.

A fascinating history lesson intertwined with paranormal ghost stories, perfect for spooky season! I liked this interesting twist on women’s history. The portion about the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire was my favorite and incredibly chilling. I listened on audio and enjoyed the narrator. Ghoul (girl) gang unite!

Thank you to NetGalley, Tantor Audio and the authors for an advance listener’s copy in exchange for an honest review!