The Edible Bookshelf: Review: The Ghost Files

Mattie Hathaway pretends she's a normal girl...well, as normal as a foster kid ever really feels. This is the closest she's ever been to a regular average girl next door. Her current foster family is a little odd, but they're nice enough. Mattie has a boyfriend she's happy with. So, what's holding her back?

Seeing ghost on a daily basis.

Even still, that's nothing new, she deals with it by ignoring the ghosts. Until her foster sister becomes one of them. Now Mattie must start listening to the ghosts clamoring for her attention and do something else she's never done before, trust someone with her secret.

Mattie's story is one readers will have a hard time putting down. Not only is Mattie a great character all around, the story is spooky and well planned, and Officer Dan is a whole other draw. But, one at a time.

Mattie is a complex character that readers will connect with from page one. Maybe not everyone knows what it's like to be a ward of the state and bounced around from home to home, but Baker has an effortless way of bringing readers into Mattie's life and showing the reality of her experiences without making it overwhelming. Mattie is strong, but not so strong that nothing can hurt her, quite the opposite in fact. Mattie is vulnerable in many ways, and overcoming her fear of being hurt or abandoned is where she truly shows her strength.

As Mattie struggles to identify the killer with the help of the ghosts, she is forced to accept the hep of a young police officer. I love Officer Dan. He's adorable and sweet and everything Mattie needs in this situation. He's a very likable character, and very realistic. What I really enjoyed was how Baker kept the status of their relationship balanced on the tipping point between caring for each other like siblings and romantic feelings. Their interactions are as big of a draw as the storyline, the characters are that good.

Now, for the story itself. I can honestly say, Baker had me guessing right up to the end. She wove a complex plot that kept me interested and eager to turn the page. I loved the interactions between Mattie and the ghosts, and especially learning more about who some of the ghosts were. Some of the interactions were downright scary, and a few might surprise you by how emotional they are.

My only word of caution with this is that it may be too scary for young readers. I'd definitely recommend this to older teens and adults looking for great characters and a fabulous scary story.

Well you can catch up with Apryl at any of these places:

Amazon: Ghost Files

Amazon: The Promise

Amazon: The Awakening

Chicks Writing Rockin’ YA

Limitless Publishing

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