Ghosted by Amanda Quain Pages: 384
Series: Northanger Abbey #1
Genres: Young Adult
Setting: New York
Source: ARC, NetGalley
Goodreads
Never Have I Ever meets The X-Files in Amanda Quain's Ghosted, a gender-bent contemporary retelling of the Jane Austen classic, Northanger Abbey.
Hattie Tilney isn’t a believer. Yes, she’s a senior at America’s most (allegedly) haunted high school, Northanger Abbey. But ever since her paranormal-loving dad passed away, she’s hung up her Ghostbusters suit, put away the EMF detectors and thermal cameras, and moved on. She has enough to worry about in the land of the living--like taking care of her younger brother, Liam, while their older sister spirals out and their mother, Northanger’s formidable headmistress, buries herself in her work. If Hattie just works hard enough and keeps that overachiever mask on tight through graduation, maybe her mom will finally notice her.
But the mask starts slipping when Hattie’s assigned to be an ambassador to Kit Morland, a golden retriever of a boy who’s transferred to Northanger on—what else—a ghost-hunting scholarship. The two are partnered up for an investigative project on the school’s paranormal activity, and Hattie quickly strikes a deal: Kit will present whatever ghostly evidence he can find to prove that campus is haunted, and Hattie will prove that it’s not. But as they explore the abandoned tunnels and foggy graveyards of Northanger, Hattie starts to realize that Kit might be the kind of person that makes her want to believe in something—and someone—for the first time.
With her signature wit and slow burn romance, Amanda Quain turns another Austen classic on its head in this sparkling retelling that proves sometimes the ghosts are just a metaphor after all.
Ghosted is a cute young adult novel with a deep message. Hattie is barely keeping her head above water trying to be the perfect daughter, friend, and sister. She is faking everything in her life. She makes ever decision based on how it will impact those around her in her desperate need to be normal at school and the perfect daughter to her mother. The psychologist in me wanted to hug her and tell her that nothing she does will ever be enough to get her mother’s approval.
Still grieving the death of her father, Hattie is trying to hold everything together at home and have the “perfect” senior year. When she is assigned to be an ambassador to new student and ghost hunter Kit, she is less than excited. But, she begins to realize, Kit sees through her “perfect” facade and she starts finding peace being in his company. Kit is a ghost believer who is totally entranced by the possibility of their “haunted school”, Northanger Abbey.
Ghosted is a sweet young adult story about a girl trying to find her way and a boy who is free from worrying about the judgements of others. They help each other along the way embrace who they are and find their path. While at times it was a little long, overall, I thought this was a great read. This is certainly a book I plan to share with my students.
- POV: 1st (Hattie)
- Tears: a few
- Trope: opposites attract
- Triggers: View Spoiler »
- Series/Standalone: stand alone
- Cliffhanger: View Spoiler »
- HEA: View Spoiler »
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Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins, Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey, Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry…then you will probably like Ghosted!
Ghosted
Thanks for your wonderful review, Samantha. This one sounds entertaining.