Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Press for the Audiobook ARC!

For me, this book was a lot of fun! It's definitely geared more Middle Grade than YA, but I very much enjoyed my time with it. Granted, I am a Disney fan and the Disney World version of the Haunted Mansion is one of my happy places. I know the basic story of the attraction by heart.
What I really enjoyed was the way they were able to weave bits of the attraction into the story of Audrey and her friends. The villain of the Shade is a new entity for me, and I would have very much enjoyed knowing more about it. Hoping there will be more books either with this group of friends (and the fantastic Haunted Mansion they've discovered), more stories about the many ghosts inside, or perhaps about other Mansions out there with ghostly issues. There are quite a few little mentions of specific ghosts and details from the ride, though some of them are quite subtle, and they made me grin every time.
I'd say just enjoy the story and try not to think about it too hard. Not unlike the ride. It's a kids book about ghosts, after all. But I look forward to reading it (or a sequel) sometime.

3.5 stars

I liked this story as a cute spooky Halloween read. That being said, I think that this could have benefited from more additional actual Haunted Mansion content. There is so much backstory of the actual mansion to choose from! This story could take place in any scary mansion if you remove a few mentions of characters like Madame Leota and the gravedigger.

New Orleans, a haunted house, and a storm all combine to make an intriguing tale. The story begins with high school student Audrey, moving into the neighborhood, and stumbling upon a haunted mansion with her new friends. After befriending a ghost and learning that the “Shade” is coming, the characters launch into the mystery, hoping to solve it before disaster strikes.
I had higher hopes for this book. The characters read as younger than high schoolers, as their dialog and thought processes aren’t quite at that mature level. Additionally, while Audrey has a boyfriend from her previous school, their relationship is never fully developed, and the tension between them, as well as the unrealistic resolution, feels forced into the storyline. Finally, Audrey struggles with anxiety, but again, it feels more like a random addition to the tale rather than a natural part of the plot. Despite these things, the story was still worth listening to.

Haunted Mansion: Storm and Shade is an exciting new YA adaptation of one of Disney Parks most famous rides. The tale takes readers on a spooky journey alongside protagonist Audrey Perez, diving headfirst into the wild and wonderful entrapments of New Orleans, Louisiana, and 999 of its most intriguing residents.

The story provides a wonderful new spin on Disney’s Haunted Mansion which plants the action firmly in spirited and soulful New Orleans. Audrey is the hero of her own story as she battles growing pains, anxiety and navigating relationships. Her friends, fun-loving Tatum and organizational Iris, provide great support for Audrey in this new adventure and their personalities provide an engaging contrast to one another and to the book’s protagonist. I read this book as an audiobook (narrator Mari Weiss was the perfect fit) and it was so fun to hear Tatum’s Scottish accent as part of the story. Weiss’s commanding and clear voice, as well as commendable and different character voices, elevated the story and added to this story’s spookily spectacular experience.

The themes of Storm and Shade are significant and contrasted with the high-stakes (though lighthearted) adventure posed by the Mansion and its residents. Author Claudia Gray spends significant page time exploring Audrey’s anxiety and therapy sessions. These matter-of-fact additions to the story provide a frank account of Audrey’s mental health struggles and remove any stigma that might otherwise attach. Gray makes clear that although Audrey struggles, she manages to work through the challenges she faces and grow in leaps and bounds, as well as discover just what she is capable of. Similarly, Audrey is able to move on throughout the story in more ways than one. Life after death and growing up are also worthwhile themes that Gray develops masterfully from beginning to end for various characters, not just Audrey.

The character relationships in Storm and Shade are complex and interesting. Audrey’s relationship with her boyfriend and how he treats her is not black and white, but a realistic shade of gray that becomes clearer as the story progresses. The same is true for Audrey’s relationship with Sterling who she meets in the Mansion. Audrey and Sterling’s shared interest in photography lays a solid foundation for their friendship and to unraveling the mystery at hand. The character interactions are meaningful and realistic (in the context of the story, of course).

The setting, story, themes and characters make Haunted Mansion: Storm and Shade a more than worthwhile read, especially with the spooky season around the corner and Halloween on the horizon.

Audrey is angsty and moody in the best ways. When she's forced to move closer to the city, she knows major life changes will happen and she's not excited for it: new school (all girls and a HIDEOUS uniform), having to make new friends, navigating a new routine while coping with anxiety, having to keep up with her therapist... and worst of all, dealing with a "long-distance" relationship. She had finally managed to settle into her old life and start a relationship with Chase... and then her parents had to move. While dealing with all the stress moving comes with, Audrey escapes for a bit and finds an old, seemingly abandoned mansion: yes, THE HAUNTED MANSION: home of 999 ghosts.
When Audrey befriends Iris and Tatum, she slowly convinces them of the haunted nature of the mansion and they set about exploring. But not all the spooks are as handsome and intelligent as the librarian Sterling, most of them are playful and pranksters. Trying to get proof of the paranormal proves almost impossible, but it doesn't stop the trio from trying.
When a series of ghostly possessions plague Audrey, the trio try to figure out what is happening and prevent the Shade from taking over the mansion and nibbling on the 999 ghosts as snacks. Can the girls save the mansion, their town, the world? Read on to find out!

My favorite thing about Claudia Gray as an author is that when she writes IP, she writes with a gusto that brings new life into her books.

I absolutely love this book. I don't know how she writes YA so well being an adult but she channels that inner teen like nobody can do. As a teacher, I appreciate the insight into the young mind and am totally comfortable giving this to my students as such. I love Audrey's friends, particularly. They are so endearing and fun and I lived for the moments of dialogue between the three of them.

Anxiety was a very strong theme here, and I'm not just talking about 999 happy haunts. Audrey's everyday struggles with anxiety are relatable, if not heavily leaned on as a character part. As someone who has anxiety disorder, I wanted very much to relay to Audrey that her anxiety did not define her, and I believe at the end of the book, Claudia Gray really executed that message well.

The book was, in all sense of the word, atmospheric. Whether it was the mansion itself or the descriptions of photograhy, the eeriness was very well described. I particularly enjoyed the New Orleans factoids and enjoyed learning more about New Orleans in general.

As a disney fan, this scratched the itch. I could hear the ride narration and smell the mansion smell as I took a doom buggy tour of this book. With the new film coming out I can see a world opening for the mansion that originally wasn't expected. I believe Rolly Crump would be pleased with Gray's book.

As I've seen other reviewers also express, I really wish this had more of The Haunted Mansion. I love the Eddie Murphy adaptation. And I've been to both the Disneyland Haunted Mansion and the Disney World attractions. Also, as someone who wants romance in stories more than not, this one could have done without. Chase was a terrible character. Still, it was a fun addition to The Haunted Mansion lore. And the perfect read to start spooky season with. Recommended for fans of Netflix's Wednesday.

Thank you to Netgalley and Disney Press Audio for providing me with a review copy.

The Haunted mansion: Storm and Shade is a fun spooky, slightly romantic story. I love the ride and loved that this book brings some background story to the correlate with the ride. I also loved the strong themes of friendship, and strong portrayal of the main protagonist's struggles with anxiety. I enjoyed the book and know students will be excited for it as well.