Ghosted

I loved it! Amanda Quain is a genius, this is a beautiful book.

This would be easy to teach alongside Northanger Abbey, but works on its own accord as well. A ghost themed book that isn’t tied to one time of year.

This Jane Austen retelling was everything I hoped it would be.Highly unexpected and a fresh take on a beloved classic.The pacing was really well done as well slow burn romance,
Amanda Quain did a phenomenal job capturing the essence of the characters and carrying them into a new story while at the same time remaining true to its roots. Highly recommend for any Jane Austen fan.

A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press & Wednesday Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"My dad loved ghosts. And that's why I didn't. Not anymore."

Thank you to Rivka Holler, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for sending me an advanced copy of Ghosted in exchange for an honest review.

Ghosted is a YA retelling of the classic novel, Northanger Abbey, centering around Henrietta "Hattie" Tilney, a senior at Northanger Abbey, America's (allegedly) most haunted high school. She has enough to worry about in the real world, being the daughter of the headmistress and maintaining her perfect reputation through her two best friends, Izzy and Priya. Enter Kit Moreland, a ghost hunter, that just might force Hattie to confront her own ghosts in his quest to prove that Northanger Abbey is indeed truly haunted.

I went into this book simply thinking that it would be another typical YA ghost story but I could not have been more wrong. Hattie and Kit are such loveable characters while also being extremely realistic in their daily struggles to survive high school. Izzy and Priya annoyed me through much of the book but by the end, the author actually had me sympathizing with them and wanting Hattie, Izzy, and Priya's relationship to improve past the end of the novel. Ms. Quain dealt with grief in children in such an interesting and relatable way while striking an incredible balance with the paranormal. By the end of the book, she certainly made a believer out of me.

I thoroughly enjoyed Ms. Quain's first book, Accomplished, but she really upped her game in this book. The writing felt miles above Accomplished and her storytelling was extremely compelling, keeping me turning the pages until the very end and left me wanting more! I can't wait to read more of this author. Do yourself a favor and read this book! 5/5 stars!

For those who crave spooky season well after it's over. Ghosted was an incredible retelling of a classic story that was a touch spooky, a touch romantic, and a lot fantastic!

Absolutely loved the gender bent modern twisting, and there is so much of the original Northanger Abbey in here! Udulpho as a university was perfect inclusion of the iconic obsession.

The slow burn is AMAZING, and the exploration of grief and family dynamic is well done. It definitely made me feel emotions. The first snow fall scene I had to reread multiple times immediately because it gave me such a heart squeeze.

There are so many different kinds of relationships explored in this book - child and parent, siblings, friends, and new loves, with variations on each theme. With such an important message about the value in being true to yourself.

Amanda Quain is very much a must read author for me at this point.

Ghosted is a sweet, comforting YA book. The characters are nuanced and interesting, and I loved the haunted Gothic setting. I'm looking forward to whatever Amanda Quain writes next.