Great read! Very inspirational and needed in this season and time. It makes me want to read more from this author

A beautiful cover, LGBTQIA rep, and an awesome synopsis?! Sign me up!!!

This book started off slow enough to the point where I questioned whether or not to DNF. This was definitely a “me” problem as I tend to shy away from super sexual scenes and it almost put me off. Overall, I’m glad I pushed through the slow burn and saw Gwendolyn’s journey through grief and spirituality. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Honestly a good read. It took me a while to get into it and I almost DNF’d a couple times but I’m glad I pushed through the slow parts. The ending and the battle made it more than worth it. I’m not into the Orisha stuff but being west African and growing up in the Bronx, you can’t help but see it. This felt like a really beautiful way to introduce it to people without it being to scary or overwhelming.

The premise sounded interesting when I first stumbled upon this on NG. I love a good ghost story but I just couldn’t get into this book at all. I don’t think this authors writing style was for me and I found myself not understanding anything. Unfortunately, this is a DNF for me.

I received a free eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author and publisher for this opportunity.

This review may contain spoilers.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. There were parts that I struggled to get through, not because of the writing or the content but because I personally tend to draw away from books with high sexual content. It starts out very sexually charged and it took me some time to get through those parts but once I did, I absolutely adore Gwendolyn and I am so happy that she and James worked everything out.

At the end, when she accepted her history and her power and James basically knew anyway but loved her enough to wait? My heart!!

And the afro-Latine cultures in this book?? So rich, so well written. Even if I didn't understand a specific word or a specific cultural practice, it was written with such care and attention that I understood from context. The past and the present blended in together so well that I had no trouble at all following any of the dips and changes in point of view or time. Once I really got into it, I genuinely kept reading until I had finished.

This book was such a ride! Ghosts, secrets, magic, and a touch of spice—what more could you want? Gwendolyn is a powerhouse of a main character, but her past is creeping in fast, and the way the supernatural weaves into her high-powered world had me hooked. And Fonsi? Absolutely stole every scene. The mix of mystery, humor, and eerie vibes made this one impossible to put down. If you love ghost stories with drama, heart, and a little chaos, this one’s for you!

awesome fantasy with some great LGBTQ+ rep and strong writing. would definitely recommend this one. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

This book basically delivers a message in a most unique way; about coming to terms with your past, holding place for family and forgiveness, and being comfortable in who you are and your true self. This book reads like a movie especially the action scenes-very vivid and descriptive. The characters are well written. I especially loved some of the lesser seen characters and how they moved the story along. I couldn’t wait for them to pop back up on the page. Shout out to that twist at the end. My emotions were screaming. I recommend this to readers that love stories about mythical powers and deities.

This is one you can easily get right up in! There’s magic, drama, spice, emotional intelligence and the stress of trying to find yourself when the world wants you to be something else. Gwen is very relatable as she deals with regular life issues (daunting live life and peer pressures) Fonsi is hilarious and complex! And the overall story telling of this book kept me hooked. If you are looking for a refreshing ghost story that scratches the surface of magical realism and unrepresented beliefs in mainstream books… this is it!

This story starts off slow but quickly takes off. Gwendolyn is a successful women. Successful both in career and in her love life. But things quickly turn strange and very paranormal. For such a short book the author does a good job of getting us invested with each character introduced. The book is well written and unique. Themes are grief, loss, and facing the secrets of the past. Ghosts interfering with Gwendolyn’s life so she needs her cousin Fonsi a psychic. But that just adds for secrets to overcome. Will Gwendolyn face her past in order to preserve her future and discover what is happening to her.

Honestly I was lost with this read I really wanted to love it but it’s a slow burn and I just couldn’t keep up with the story line

Gwendolyn has secrets, that's clear from the start, but how big her secrets are is what we get to discover in this tory. I'd say that while the story resolves in a nice way, I did wish it was a bit longer. I wanted a little more about the some of the ghosts and other character backstory.

The Ghosts of Gwendolyn Montgomery is a captivating blend of glamour, mysticism, and suspense. Gwendolyn’s journey from a powerful publicist to confronting her hidden mystical past is thrilling, while Fonsi Harewood adds charm and tension as a psychic caught between worlds. The novel’s rich world-building, from the vibrant streets of New York to the eerie realm of El Intermedio, keeps you hooked. Clarence A. Haynes weaves humor, sensuality, and supernatural intrigue into a fast-paced story that’s as stylish as it is spellbinding. A must-read for fans of ghostly adventures.

I truly didn’t know what to expect from this book, since it’s not similar to what I usually read. I really liked the characters and their stories, though I do think they could have been a bit more fleshed out. Even though it’s a shorter book, I did think it was somewhat slowish at parts, specifically the third act. Multiple chapters would pass that took place in the exact same spot and time yet it didn’t feel like the story was moving forward. Even though there was an “Epilogue” header after chapter 24, there was nothing there. Not sure if there will be an epilogue when the book releases or not. I do think there were some loose ends and uncertainty that may lead to a sequel. Or maybe this is how the author intended. Overall a really great read, well written.

Haunted mansions, family secrets, and a ghost with attitude? Yes, please! The Ghosts of Gwendolyn Montgomery is a spellbinding mix of Southern gothic mystery and historical fiction, dripping with eerie charm and unexpected twists. Clarence A. Haynes delivers a tale that’s as chilling as it is heartfelt, weaving together past and present in a way that keeps you flipping pages long into the night.

Gwendolyn Montgomery isn’t your average ghost—she’s got unfinished business, and she’s not about to let anyone ignore her. Add in a protagonist uncovering long-buried family truths, and you’ve got a story filled with suspense, humor, and just the right amount of supernatural drama. If you love ghostly tales with depth, secrets that refuse to stay buried, and a dash of Southern flair, this book is calling your name!

The Ghosts of Gwendolyn Montgomery was a great read that kept me on my toes as Haynes weaved Big City life with indigenous knowledge and histories. I loved the way that Haynes uses indigenous systems and interrogates how those who inherit them negotiate how it fits in the m0dern world.. It was packed full of conflict: family, romantic, spiritual, to name a few. It is told from two POVs and once the individual stories combine its a wild ride to save NYC. I really enjoyed it.

I'm still reeling from finishing this book. What a fantastic read. By the first page, I was completely hooked and while I tried to savor each page and detail within the story, I ended up devouring it. I loved the representation, the journey through navigating spirituality along with grief, guilt, identity, and self rediscovery. Both MCs dealt with the shadows and trauma of their past, but ultimately did not let it define who they were...definite message of "Letting go" throughout the book. Definite five star read.

This book follows Gwendolyn Montgomery, a super-talented publicist at Sublime Creative, who has been working hard planning a fashion show for one of her clients at the Brooklyn Museum. Things are going great for Gwendolyn with her career and love life, but when the event starts at the Brooklyn Museum, the runway fills with blood everywhere - models are slipping in it and the show is ruined. After she sees a message written in Spanish in blood, she realizes that her past is catching up with her and she starts panicking on ways to fix this. Uptown in the Bronx, we meet Fonsi, a queer Latinx psychic, who is getting sexual action from a ghost, and he runs a botanical shop while also seeing clients in the back for psychic needs since he can communicate with the dead. When it turns out that the the world between humans and spirits is about to break, Fonsi must find his cousin Griselda whom he hasn't seen since his mother burned down in their home, and Giselda left without a trace. Gwendolyn wants nothing to do with all of this, but to deal with what is going on in her work life, she must face the demons of her past or the world is in trouble.

At first this book started out really slow and I couldn't tell if I was going to get into it or not, but then WHAM the action picked up and I was like what in the horror names is going on here. This would make a fun movie with all the bloody scenes and the ghosts going crazy throughout it wow it was fun. I really loved the characters - they were well-written, even the side characters. The author is an excellent storyteller in regards to introducing characters, having them have depth, and interweaving all of this with twists, spooks, and suspense that kept me flipping the pages to get to the end of this wild adventure.

I posted this on my Instagram at @the.bookish.dietitian on 2/23/25 and also on my goodreads!

**⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | A Hauntingly Beautiful Tale: "The Ghosts of Gwendolyn Montgomery"**

If you’re looking for a story that grabs your heart and doesn’t let go, *The Ghosts of Gwendolyn Montgomery* is it. From the first chapter, I was pulled into the eerie, yet enchanting world of Gwendolyn and her hidden past. The author masterfully blends suspense, drama, and just the right amount of romance to create a page-turner that’s impossible to put down.

The story’s atmosphere is rich and moody, but it’s the characters that shine. Gwendolyn is a beautifully complex protagonist—grappling with her past while facing ghosts (both literal and figurative) with incredible resilience. I found myself rooting for her through every twist and revelation.

The pacing is perfect, keeping you hooked as the layers of mystery are peeled back. And the ending? Wow. It was both satisfying and thought-provoking, lingering with me long after I closed the book.

If you enjoy stories with depth, emotion, and a hint of the supernatural, you’ll fall in love with *The Ghosts of Gwendolyn Montgomery*. This is storytelling at its finest. Highly recommend!

This is a five star read across the board. It is thrilling, suspenseful and has a really unique spin. This urban fantasy has a good amount of spookiness and mystery, while also being full of heart and emotion. I loved the internal and external conflicts that she is facing while trying to deal with a day job and supernatural obligations. I think this book is so well done and I cannot wait to read what the author writes next. Their perspective and ideas seem to be very refreshing.