What a delightfully frightful book!! It had all the quirky humor and strange horror of a Goosebumps book; but a lil darker for more adventurous kids.
The characters are fun and I could see a kid relating to them; especially Zel. I think this book really shines with the plot and scare-factor. Even as an adult, there were moments where my jaw dropped at the twists and turns of this book. I won't forget the final third anytime soon!
The only critique I have is that a few of the sentences felt a bit clunky while reading. There would be chapters that are typical, middle-grade reading level, but then there'd be a paragraph with much more rich and complex writing. It would interrupt my reading flow at times and it could be distracting.
But overall, I truly enjoyed reading this book and I very much look forward to reading more of Ocker's work!
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing me an advanced reader copy. All opinions expressed here are solely my own.

Where are my Goosebumps lovers at? If you enjoyed reading goosebumps you’ll enjoy this one! Thank you Netgalley for the ebook copy. I definitely recommend!

I reviewed a fun Ocker book a year or two ago. So, I jumped at the chance to read this one. It didn't disappoint.

This is a fairly quick read for anyone middle grade and up. I found it to be curious and fun while also being gross and a little sad.

I think the book achieves a great balance between plot and character development and believes precocious kids will fall in love.

There is a definite gore element and the book deals with loss.

Friends Zel, Lucien, and Theo form a ghost hunting club called The Creepy Club, and one day notice posters for "The Ghost Show." When this ghost show arrives in town in the remains of a tragic local incident, the club must investigate to figure out exactly what kind of ghosts they are dealing with. This book is silly, sad, and hopeful with a lot of heart to boot. At first glance, readers may just think this book seems like a typical middle grade ghost book but it is far from that. Welcome to the Ghost Show tackles some tough subjects in only 150 pages- grief, morality, and the environment. The premise of a mad scientist experimenting with creating ghosts is very unique and will keep reluctant readers engaged. Seeing how Zel handles her grief and how that grief informs her interest in the paranormal could also be quite impactful for middle grade readers.
Overall this was an engaging read with a lot of heart and just the right amount of scares. I will definitely be recommending to middle grade readers at my library.

This was great. I really enjoy Jw Ocker's writing. Always manages to keep me engaged and wanting to turn the page

First let me start by saying this book was a great read and the audience is directed towards middle schoolers. If you are a fan of Goosebumps this is a definite read for you.

This book talks about three best friends, Hazel know as “Zel”, Theo, and Lucien that are founding members of “The Creepy Club may I add they’re the only members of this club. It’s their mission to find a ghost although their efforts haven’t yielded any results. Until overnight posters of “The Ghost Show” is posted everywhere. The trio decided to visit the ghost show and they got more than what they bargained.

I did enjoy the small town story! That was amazing plus there was an even better back story of the town , mysteries and other unfortunate events that have happened. I did like how the author wrote about Zel “down days” which creates a lane for mental health. This book was a quick read but I was very entertained throughout. I’ll definitely be reading more books from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley, J.W. Ocker, HarperCollins publishers for providing me with an ARC! I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was such a fun read! Definitely reminded me of the middle school scary stories I loved reading as a kid. The main friend group in this had great chemistry and kept me interested the whole time. The story had the right mix of mystery and suspense that I know kids will love. It was also original enough that I felt like there is definitely a potential for more stories with these characters.

This is a cute and creepy middle grade read. If you like ghosts and stories like goosebumps, you will like this and I recommend you reading it.

Thank you for the arc, Netgalley and Harper Collins children's books!

This is middle grade but it didn't read too young. I can appreciate when a middle grade/ YA book is not written in a juvenile way from the kids point of view. This wasn't scary but it was an adventure with creepy elements. I did like this one! It was a quick, easy read and I enjoyed the backstory of the town and the quirky characters. The premise of the ghost show and what happens inside is horrifying lol.

This book was definitely made for a younger audience so I am probably not the best person to write a review for it but I would definitely recommend it to someone who was younger and trying to get into the genre of horror fiction.

It did remind me of a mixture of haunted books I loved when I was younger, yet for some reason I just couldn’t get into this specifically. It had a great atmosphere and was able to keep you focused on the plot and characters but it wasn’t for me.
This is a great read for people/a young audience who are fans of tv shows such as Chilling Adventures of Sabrina!!

I was pleasantly impressed and surprised by this incredibly entertaining middle grade read. Reminded me of the books that got me into reading.

Best friends, Zel, Theo, and Lucian, have a club called “Creepy Club” where they discuss and investigate paranormal activity in their town. When a mysterious attraction called the Ghost Show appears in town, they are eager to check it out. Is the Ghost Show just a haunted attraction or is it something sinister?

This was an entertaining middle grade read. The story was action packed and mysterious. I would say this is definitely more of a fantasy/sci-fi than a horror. There was a mad scientist character who felt like a more deranged Willy Wonka. I liked the three main characters and the close friendship they had. I loved the ending and it made me tear up a little.

While I enjoyed this author’s previous middle grade book more, I still had a fun time reading this story. I think a younger middle grade audience will enjoy this book.

3.5⭐️

This book was an absolute blast from start to finish! As soon as I heard about the mysterious ads for the Ghost Show, I was hooked. The word "ghost" immediately caught my attention, just like it did for Hazel Gold, or Zel to her friends. I could totally relate to her excitement as the founder of her school's Creepy Club, always on the lookout for paranormal activity. The massive ghost infestation and the Creepy Club's mission to free the trapped souls made for a heart-pounding adventure. The chilling battle that blurred the line between reality and the supernatural was the perfect climax to this thrilling story. Overall, this book was a fantastic mix of mystery, paranormal activity, and suspense. I loved every moment of it, and the writing kept me engaged from beginning to end.

If you're a fan of spooky tales and supernatural adventures, I highly recommend this book. It was an unforgettable read that left me wanting more!

First off I love that Zel has "down days" I have something similar that I call "dark days" and have never seen that represented in a book before, seeing it now made me feel seen. I can't imagine how amazing that would've felt to read as a young reader- knowing I wasn't alone in these feelings.

I really loved this book- the characters were great, the writing was equal parts horrific and hilarious. I laughed out loud just as much as I grimaced or said ew because of the icky descriptions of the...sheeties. This book really has it all, grief, humor, science fiction, body horror, tragedy, supportive friendships, and so so many ghosts.

I am extremely impressed- I flew through the pages and some of the imagery will haunt my nightmares for weeks to come.

“Welcome to the Ghost Show” is spectacular and spooktacular! This book gives slight “Stranger things” vibes as a group of teens tackle extraordinarily weird circumstances. Ocker’s writing style is very descriptive, you can see and sometimes feel the story very easily. This book is a must read for YA Horror and even gives you a couple laughs!

This is a great middle grade horror novel that's perfect for R.L. Stine and Are You Afraid of the Dark fans. The characters are great and I loved the little ghost hunting club they had and their interest in the supernatural.

I was offered a chance to read this ARC for a review - I'm actually my family's screener/reader! it's listed as genre: Children's Fiction/Horror - I supposed "mid-grade" isn't an option.

The kids, especially, Zel are fun characters - the main theme of the story isn't "horror" to me though but the importance of a solid support system when dealing with loss and chronic illness. She needs a therapist!

Amadeus Everest Mancer, the name is VERY reminiscent of the NecroMancer characters from D&D type fantasy but he makes a fun baddie.

But Zel's sister Tori is heart-breaking, and their Mom... that whole family needs a good therapist or we'll all have Down Days!

The setting and characters were fun
There was a bit of redundancy and some questions remained unanswered
Quick and fun for what it is

chilling, atmospheric read packed with eerie thrills and dark humor. A perfect blend of spooky and fun—highly recommended!