DNF at 24%

I'm always up for a good haunting, a great ghost story. So when I came across this one on netgalley, I was super excited about it, and even moreso when I got accepted for it. However, I've made the tough decision to DNF this after only a quarter of the way through. I hate DNFing books, espeically e-galleys that I've been approved for, but this one was just lacking for me. There just didn't seem to be anything happening. We have a dad who can't deal with life who is a paranormal investigator, cool, that should make for an interesting storyline but it just didn't gel for me. He hoards countless amounts of stuff so that his daughter is tripping over something every time she turns around in the house. We have Anne who is trying her best to live her life after the death of her mother, while being the town pariah because her father is a ghost hunter, she's known as goblin girl at school, all I was getting from her character was someone who pines after a boy who doesn't care about her and turns on her at the first sign of anything strange, and who is so full of teenage angst it's suffocating. I understand that she lost her mother to a demon, but it just wasn't coming across that way, all that I was getting was angsty teenage bullshit. And when two chapters (there abouts) is focused on the fact that her dog has died and left behind two puppies that she can't keep because her Dad is allergic, so her and her two friends Freddy and Doreen take the puppies out in a basket to find them homes, I just couldn't do it anymore. I was after page turning, haunting ghost story, but I just didn't find it here.

I'm in the minority in my opinion, and for that I'm super grateful, I really really wish that I had have enjoyed this story more as it sounded right up my alley, but alas, some things just aren't meant to be. If you like a ghost story that has a lot deeper themes than just a haunting, give it a go, you might like it :)

When I read the synopsis for The Ghost Hunter's Daughter, I immediately got excited and had to check it out. This is the story of Anna, whose father is well known for being the town well, ghost hunter, and because of this she is known as Goblin Girl at school. Things start happening in her town during a number of solar flares, things of a paranormal nature, and it's up to Anna to figure it out.

Before I go any further I would caution that there are trigger warnings for bullying, self harm and suicidal thoughts. Though these aren't central themes in the book, there are situations that arise that could be triggering to people.

Ok, now that that's out of the way - this story was so much fun! Yes, it got pretty dark at some points with some of the things discussed (um hello demons and ghosties). If you're looking for something with Poltergeist/Ghostbusters vibes, this will fit the bill.

Anna's struggles are very relatable regardless of the supernatural aspects and influences in the story. It delves a lot into her internal dialogue and talks about how the bullying she endures affects her, as well as other characters and their struggles. While these situations are influenced by the supernatural aspects, they are still very real experiences that teens have and humanized the story a bit more.

What can to say about the Ghosthunter's Daughter which was my first ever netgalley arc is bloody amazing. There is so much jammed pack into this book. First off we have Anna who lost her mum to a demon and is now known as the goblin girl. Yet Anna has a strong friendship since she was a child with freddy and doreen which can never be challenged which we see later in the book. I've not read many fantasty books but this has now given me a thirst to read some more. I loved Caroline's writing and the way she introduced such topics as hoarding and suicidal thoughts and bullying but were used so well and were not out of context. Through these topics and others we learned something was wrong in bloomtown. I'm not going to give any spoilers but I will say I do hope that we get to see these characters again in a followup. I'm giving this book 5 stars

The main thrust of the plot was fairly dark and compelling. I found myself racing through the book. I wasn’t a massive fan of Anna but that may be because I am very over teen protagonists who prioritise a boy over the actual thing that needs to be solved. Honestly, the romance in a paranormal mystery should in my opinion be a subplot that enhances the main plot, but then my teen years are far behind me! Overall an enjoyable debut that didn’t flinch from the grosser aspects of human nature – it’s always important in a ghost book to have the paranormal plot reflect the real life issue an MC has to deal with and that’s done well here. Definitely one of the stronger YA paranormal mysteries I’ve read.

Loved it!! If you loved Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Supernatural etc. then you're going to love this too.

I read it in one sitting and all I can say is please, please, please do more with these characters. Anna, Dor, Freddy, Jack and Geneva are just fab.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and, most of all, Caroline for a copy of this book.

The Ghost Hunter’s Daughter by Caroline Flarity- Anna is known as Goblin Girl in her school, and why not? Since her mom killed herself in a demon-possessed rage, her dad has turned spirit hunter and object hoarder. She’s the daughter of a freak living in a town where that’s about to be the least of her worries. The whole town is acting strange. People are becoming hateful and hurtful. With her dad quickly losing touch with reality, it’s up to Anna to figure out what is going on.
There are some pretty disturbing scenes (a little too real of what’s in people’s diseased minds). I will have to say, it worked it’s way in my head (and my dreams!) The writing was very descriptive with a good storyline. #theghosthuntersdaughter #carolineflarity #netgalley

The Ghost Hunter’s Daughter by Caroline Flarity is the kind of gritty YA urban fantasy I enjoy. Anna’s relationship with her hoarding paranormal investigator father is complicated and nuanced by love but also resentment and grief. She and her friends aren’t the coolest kids in the school but they love each other and have each other’s backs despite Anna’s crush on the school bad-boy musician. But all heck breaks loose and Anna will need everyone’s help getting to the bottom of the weird stuff going on in her town.
I liked that this wasn’t some kind of cutesy teen romp. If it involves demons and malevolent spirits then to me it should be dark and mean spirited at times. All the characters have lots of layers and they don’t always make the right choices. I think this is a great addition to anyone’s library that likes teenagers, paranormal craziness and holding on to the people you love even when life gets really dark.

Interesting concept that wasn't executed as well as I hoped it would be. The characters needed to have a bit more depth and development.

3 stars. Thank you to Netgalley and East Side Press for a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A town equipped with a ghost hunting family and sudden crazy happenings during a solar flare? Definitely an interesting premise and for the most part I think it was pulled off. The story did drag a bit in certain places and some aspects seemed unnecessary or placed in their for shock value. I think I would’ve enjoyed the story a lot more if it stuck to it’s main premise instead of adding unnecessary elements and plot devices.

Serious trigger warnings necessary for this book though and it would’ve been nice to know that upfront, especially because a lot of this stuff didn’t have to be included. Animal death, parental death, suicide, self harm, abuse, sexual assault, hoarding, and revenge porn all show up in this book heavy. Overall good story attempt, but the delivery could’ve been better.

Anna Fagan's father is a ghost hunter, and Anna is over it. Their house is a mess, she's tired of dealing with the supernatural, and she's a subject of mockery at school, which doesn't help her chances with the boy she likes. While this seems like typical teenage angst with a touch of paranormal, things rapidly take a dark turn: all the usual high school and small town unpleasantness suddenly seems to ramp up to eleven, and Anna's sure the causes are supernatural (with a side-helping of solar flares), so she needs to do something. But there's the small matter of getting revenge against the kid who killed her dog, her father's hoarding problems, and compulsively checking her crush's Instagram account.

Most fascinating to me was the way so many of the awful events became so credible when it was just a matter of taking things a little further. We've all had horrible thoughts, imagined terrible things happening to people who made us mad - but usually we try to stop short of following through on them. This story featured believably flawed characters, with mental 'voices' that echo the sort of impulses we don't like to admit to, and this was part of what sucked me in: the possible horror to be found in everyday negativity if it's left to take over.

While I enjoyed the ghost aspect of this book I feel like the author kept adding more drama on too of it just for the sake of it. I felt that once I got used to one aspect of the drama another major incident would happen that really didnt seem to make since. While I was entertained by it and would for sure pick up the next book in what I am sure will be a series, it definitely goes into a guilty pleasure reads.

The Ghost Hunter's Daughter by Caroline Flarity was a lot of creepy fun. I'm a massive fan of Supernatural and the like so this sounded like could be right up my alley. It has a lot to like when it comes to the thrills and the ghostly action. Unfortunately, though, it didn't quite live up to my high expectations when it came to the character and pacing department. Our main character was kind of aggravating if you ask me and there were times when the pacing slowed down way to much in comparison to the rest of the novel. Overall, this novel was good and there's a bunch of potential but it never quite lived up to it all. If you have a soft spot for YA urban fantasy, horror, or paranormal, you may enjoy picking this up.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book!

This was dark and unexpectedly gritty! It has actually been on my radar for a while, but somehow I just never got around to reading it until now. I've read loads of ghost YA novels, but this one stood out for the general darkness, cast of unpopular but likable characters, and a very unusual plot that had me hooked. I had to know how the darkness was spreading, and the eventual reveal was really good and very clever. The writing is good too, although the plot kind of plods along in the beginning. Once you're hooked it's game over though!

If you're in the mood for YA that is a little different, then give this a go. Not your average ghost story! Four stars.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley.

This is definitely geared towards young adults / teens, BUT it was a good, light read nonetheless.

Female supernatural-ish. I loved this! Not a super long story but really kept it interesting and active so it wasn't hard to get into and stay into and easy to finish quickly. Which can be perfect for the reader that is looking for something in between. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

A fantastic YA supernatural tale! A realistic depiction of teenagers who are struggling to forge a path through their own emotions while dealing with the every day struggles life throws at them. And that doesn't even mention the spooky stuff.

The Ghost Hunter's Daughter is a fun supernatural adventure meets almost coming of age novel that explores how people deal with grief, resentment, anger, and ultimately how they figure out who they are.

Anna, Freddy, and Doreen are a great trio and their interactions are fun and genuine. I wished we had more time to spend with just the three of them before the main plot gets underway, but any moment with the three of them together really shines.

Bloomtown feels like that nice neighborhood where your aunt and uncle moved so your cousins could go to a better school. It models the suburban lifestyle without seeming too picture perfect and flawlessly demonstrates the small town struggle: conform or be a target. It's the perfect backdrop for Jack's less than normal supernatural career and highlights Anna's difficulty fitting in, which is something nearly every teenager can relate to.

One of the biggest factors that separates the good from the great when it comes to YA is how the teenaged characters interact with each other, with their parents, with authority figures they come into contact with. Anna, Doreen, and Freddy feel like real life teenagers with real life teenager goals, desires and problems, with a little dollop of shadow people and tricksters on the side of course.

I personally love sci-fi and supernatural topics, but can concede that a huge barrier to those topics can be exposition. Meaning that a lot of sci-fi or supernatural novels can be exposition heavy to introduce you to their particular brand of lore, specific to their tailored story. Flarity, however, does an excellent job of naturally inserting tidbits of information just precisely where they're needed. It creates a natural flow of information that doesn't feel overdone or forced and keeps the readers right on the same page as Anna, who's been doing this 'Goblin Girl' stuff for years.

I will say though that certain aspects felt slightly incomplete. The novel is a medium length read and could potentially have been more fleshed out when it comes to threads that support the main plot. For example, the quasi-romance between Freddy and Anna seemed lack luster at best and rushed at worst. The same could be said about the Jack and Geneva relationship, which is honestly probably too strong a word to describe it. Though I can say in the grand scheme of things these are fairly mild complaints.

Overall, I'd have to recommend The Ghost Hunter's Daughter to anyone looking for a fun tale of supernatural proportions!

This book was an amazing read for me I enjoyed every moment of it, the concept behind this book was a new one for me.
The characters were so well written as was the book it's self, it was easy to follow and keep up with I didn't find my self wondering how this happened or who this person is as the book was well laid out and the author gave you all needed to no as the book went on.
overall this book is amazing definitely one I would recommend to all.

I discovered this book by accident on Netgalley and I’m so happy I did. I liked how they used the negative portals to show the issues everyone was having with each other. I feel sad for Anna having lost her mom and having her dad kinda lose himself also. I wish we had more ghosts hunting instead of the bullying at school, I kind felt like that took away from the story a little bit. I did like how it was kinda like her normal life of ghosts and evil spirits and it caught me off guard on who else was being possessed, but it was very entertaining. I love watching paranormal shows and movies and I do believe in ghosts and spirits so when I can find a good book involving all of these I’m happy. Also I love YA and think this was done well and a great novel.

This is my first ever NetGalley review! I read The Ghost Hunter's Daughter in a little less than three days - it was a nice easy read to dip in and out of and I can imagine young people enjoying the supernatural elements, the sci-fi parts and the high school sections. Some of the themes were dark in places, such as self-harm, severe mental health issues, revenge porn, peer pressure and loss, but as I work with young people in an educational environment, I understand that these issues are very important. Perhaps it was a little unrealistic to include all of them in this one book, though.

I did find myself wandering and a little bored in some parts, and I found that some of the structural choices were a little sporadic. For example, jumping from the main narrator to someone else within the text did not add anything to the story - I found it a little bit too obvious. I think the structure could work in this style, if they were separated into smaller chapters narrated by different characters.

Otherwise, I think the story was an okay read, and I could see this perhaps working as a tv series, in the future.

This was a fun and interesting read that is more of a coming of age story within a world that contains the supernatural. While the story has supernatural elements, I really felt this book was all about Anna and her growth/self-discovery. There are triggers: self-harm, suicide and the memory of a minor being groped.

This story is about the life of Anna, a teenage girl trying to live her life with the extra issues that come with being a ghost hunter and dealing with the supernatural. Anna had to grow up fast and that is seen in her character development. She acts both her age and a bit younger as she is still trying to balance her two worlds. I loved the secondary characters as much as I did Anna and it was great to get a glimpse into her life. Friendships and family are present in this story and help Anna with her adventure.

The plot of this story was very addicting and I was constantly on edge as to see what would happen next and what the outcome would be. This is a YA story so there is not much graphic detail or over detailed accounts of specific issues and the ending was slightly predictable (thought that did not ruin the story in any way). I liked that the major life issues did have a realistic feel towards them and I enjoyed Anna’s reaction, made her seem very real.

I think that (as I said before) this story is a must read for those wanting a different version of a coming of age story. I think that it proves how people are stronger then they think they are, how having a few solid friends really helps in life and that not everything is as it seems. I may have read more into this story then the author intended but I kept going back to the deeper feelings and thoughts that this story brought out in me. I received an ARC via NetGalley and I am leaving an honest review.

#NetGalley #EastSidePress #TheGhostHuntersDaughter